The Tree of Life, Balistair
by X.Warped.Colors.X
Summary: Once again, Kendra and Seth are dragged into a dire and magical situation. While the Tree of Life's magical reserves dwindle, it's their job to help revive the tree before all magical creatures are rendered extinct.
1. Chapter One

**First off...**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own anyone or anything from Fablehaven, Brandon Mull does. And since he is my literary hero, I don't mind doing the disclaimer or acknowledging that I don't own any aspect of the series.**

**Now that that's over, I'd like to inform you that The Tree of Life, Balistair takes place after the fifth and last book. 'Wait... That book isn't even out yet,' you say! I know of this, and that is why it is doubly hard for me to write this. I couldn't possibly create my own rendition of what might happen in the fifth book, so things in this story may not line up with the book when it _does_ come out. I apologize, but this is the best way for me to write a Fablehaven story without totally screwing myself up. I really do hope you will enjoy reading this, since Fablehaven is my all-time, top-of-the-list, favorite series. Leave a review if you like.

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**Chapter One;  
**

Kendra and Seth Sorenson sat quietly in their attic bedroom, legs crossed and faces hidden behind two handfuls of cards. The entire deck had been split between them in a game of Old Maid, including a single joker that would serve as the old maid. At the moment, Seth had the joker in his hand. It was Kendra's turn to pick a card from his hand, but he and asked her to wait so he could arrange a few of his cards. There were already enough pairs messily resting at his feet, while only a few were neatly placed beside Kendra. Once ready, he held his cards out to her with the red backs facing her. Kendra bit her lower lip and picked a card to the far left.

"Seven of clubs." Kendra placed it with her seven of spades, creating a pair. Seth groaned and glared at the joker in his hand.

"You knew where it was." He blamed. Kendra snorted and held her own cards out.

"I forgot to mention that my abilities let me cheat in card games, sorry." She said. Seth let out a quiet, sarcastic laugh as he drew a card from her hand. He created a pair and allowed her to choose again. It was a rather boring game that would likely end with Seth holding the joker for the eighth time, but neither complained. It was a pleasant time waster before dinner, which their Grandma Sorenson was preparing in the kitchen.

"I wish being a shadow charmer would let me do that. We'd never lose at poker." He said, letting Kendra draw. He hid a giddy grin as he watched the joker leave his hand. Kendra saw the card and muttered something, placing it in her own hand and letting him draw again.

"Gambling is illegal." Kendra warned flatly. Seth pouted.

"Only if we use money. I could teach Newel and Doren how to play poker. We could bet with batteries or gold." He said. He made another pair.

"What happened to not taking gold from Fablehaven?" She asked.

"It wouldn't be taking it. I'd give it back after the game." Seth said. Kendra eyed his face, spotting the faintest trace of a lie.

"You can't lie to me." It was a proven fact that Seth was unable to hide most things from her. She knew that it didn't come with her being fairykind, but she had the uncanny ability to sense when he was plotting or lying. She didn't take any pleasure in ratting Seth out, but she did it for his own safety. If she weren't there to keep him from doing something stupid and dangerous, he would have been killed the time he had tried to jump off the roof when he was ten.

"You're such a buzz kill. That's why Gav-" He stopped when Kendra glared.

Seth clamped his mouth shut, knowing he may have went just a tad too far. Any mention of Gavin, who had revealed himself to be Navarog, caused Kendra to lapse into short moments of depression and quietness. Seth knew she was angry that the one boy she had liked in a long while had betrayed her, and he felt stupid for having brought it up. He opened his mouth to apologize, but a knock on the door beat him to it. Kendra reclaimed her calm and looked to the door as it opened. Dale peeked his head into the room.

"Dinner's ready." He informed. At the mention of food, Seth dropped his cards. He left them scattered on the floor for Kendra to pick up, which she did without a word. She placed them in their pack and set them where they belonged, shuffling down the stairs with Dale behind her. Grandpa and Seth were already seated and eating, Grandma scooping some beef stew into an empty bowl. Once Kendra and Dale were seated, they were given their bowls and started to eat.

The stew was rich and savory, and Kendra enjoyed the softness of the vegetables. Seth piled the vegetables towards the side of the bowl and devoured the chunks of meat. When he was told to eat the vegetables, he grumbled and tried to swallow as many as he could in as few mouthfuls as possible. Kendra shook her head and spooned some seasoned gravy into her mouth. Grandpa Sorenson pushed his bowl forward and dabbed at his lips with a napkin, a motion he only did if Either teen were in trouble. Kendra and Seth exchanged a look.

"I wasn't really going to teach them how to gamble, it was just a joke!" Seth said. Grandpa looked flabbergast.

"Teach who gambling?" He asked. Seth didn't understand, then it dawned on him that Grandpa didn't know about his freshly formed plans of teaching poker to the satyrs. He had blabbed for no reason, and he knew he was going to end up paying for it later.

"No one." He lied. Grandpa gave him a suspicious look.

"We'll talk about that later, young man. Right now, there is something else I wish to talk about. Rather, something I want you two to see." He said. After all that had happened last years, what with the Sphinx trying to release all the prisoners of Zzyzx, Kendra wondered if it would be something exciting. Living fulltime at Fablehaven proved to be an exciting aspect, though Seth hated that he was required to do more chores than he liked. But with the Society of the Evening Star nearly destroyed, they felt that nothing might ever be as exciting as it once was.

"Are you going to show us something cool?" Seth asked. Grandpa shrugged.

"Depends on if you finish all of your dinner or not." He said slyly. Grandma coughed to hide a laugh.

"That's low." Seth muttered, finishing the last few bites of his stew. Kendra had finished hers quickly after having heard that he wanted to show them something. Once Seth's empty bowl accompanied Kendra's, Grandpa stood. Grandma did as well, but she insisted that she stay in the kitchen so she could feed those that would wander into the house.

"Warren is coming back today, isn't he?" Kendra asked. Grandma nodded.

"He should be back soon. I'll send him up after he eats." She said to Grandpa. He nodded, then motioned for Seth and Kendra to follow. They followed him to the master bedroom and to their bathroom closet, though it wasn't a hollow space like most would assume. Behind the first door was another, heavier door that looked like it belonged to a vault. It wasn't often that either of them were allowed to be in the secret side of the attic, and it always meant something important when they were invited.

Grandpa dialed in the combination, pulled the lever and swung the door open. Kendra went first when urged to, then Seth followed. Behind them, Grandpa shut the doors. The three of them made their way up the stairs where they were met with a varied assortment of magical or non-magical objects. Most were hidden away in the cabinets that lined the walls or the trunks that sat heavily on the floor. Some objects managed to poke out into view; the birdcage was where it always had been, an impressive battle ax was leaning against the side of a cabinet, and many books littered the top of the work bench that took over one side of the room.

Kendra wanted to scurry over to the books the moment she saw them, the urge to soak in every tiny bit of information making her anxious. Luckily for her, Grandpa was walking towards the bench. Seth seemed disappointed that nothing cool was being drawn out of a cabinet or trunk, his shoulders sagging lower the closer they came to the books.

"Books, really? You said it would be cool." He complained.

"I said no such thing." Grandpa scolded. Kendra snickered as she stood beside him. Seth was to Grandpa's other side, leaning down to blow dust off a book that had yet to be cleaned. At least his need for dirty and nasty things had been satisfied. He shooed the dust away with his hand, a thick wisp of dust and cobwebs winding around his finger. Kendra saw and nearly gagged.

"That's gross."

"Stop playing with the dust." Grandpa said. Seth shook the wisp off his finger, now lazily paying attention. Taking a thick book from the middle of a short pile, Grandpa set it gently in front of him. Kendra and Seth leaned forward to see, listening to the _snap_ and _crackle_ of aged paper. As the cover was lifted, the stiff papers fanned out to reveal many of the beginning pages of the book. Spidery handwriting filled each page, as well as elaborate and detailed sketches. Some were occupied with only tiny sketches of fairies, while others were dominated by dark drawings of creatures that proved rather nightmarish. The words were hard to read for Seth, but he knew that Kendra would have no trouble with them.

"Is this a journal?" Kendra asked.

"It is, but not written by anyone you know." He said. A frown touched Kendra's face. She had hoped that it was a another journal from Patton Burgess, one of the most renowned caretakers of Fablehaven. She and many others had been given the chance to meet him when Seth had used the Chronometer to bring him forward in time, but the visit had been short lived. She treasured the journals that he had written in, including the Journal of Secrets, and it wouldn't have hurt to add another to the collection. But the thought of another who had adventures to share made her eager to expand her own internal library. She knew there were others like Patton out there, and she was now itching with curiosity as to who had written the journal in front of her Grandpa.

"Who wrote it, then?" Seth asked, as if he had read her mind. Grandpa stopped to consider the question, then shook his head.

"It will be a surprise." He said. Seth groaned.

"Why does everything have to be a surprise? You have officially ruined my like of surprises, and have ruined every birthday party I'm ever going to have." He crossed his arms. Grandpa suppressed the urge to smile, though it was easy enough when he stopped at a certain page in the journal. He smoothed the page with his palm, setting a few heavy objects in the upper corners to keep it from easing closed again. Kendra's eyes went straight for the words, while Seth gawked at the drawing. Grandpa quietly let them look.

"What is that thing? It looks like-"

"A tree? It is." Grandpa said. Seth looked up at him, a brow raised. He tapped at the picture of the tree, hand swatted away when it blocked Kendra's sight.

"That's a tree?" He seemed skeptical.

Seeing that Seth was highly interested of the tree sketch, Kendra turned her attention to it. He was right, it only vaguely resembled a tree. The trunk was rather thin looking compared to the rest of the tree, which resembled a bundle of differently sized bubbles that there held together by a thin layer of membrane-like material. Soft blue light filtered out from the bubbly foliage of the tree, giving it a highly magical feel to it. Bits of light were hidden away inside the twisted trunk, as if fairies had taken refuge there. It was a very detailed and colorful sketch.

"This is what you wanted to show us?" She asked.

"If you wanted to show us crummy art, why didn't you take us to a museum?" Seth muttered. Kendra pinched his arm from behind Grandpa. He yelped and rubbed the spot, glaring.

"Behave," Grandpa snapped, "I know this doesn't seem like much to you, Seth, but this tree is a very important organism when it comes to anything magical." He said seriously.

"Why?"

"It's where every magical creature or magic user gets their magic from." Grandpa said. Kendra frowned.

"They get magic from a tree?" She asked doubtfully.

"Where else do you think they get it from? I'll admit that before this tree existed, nature was the one source of magic." He said.

"Nature?"

"The trees, animals, anything." Grandpa said, "The problem with that was that using magic would leave the area withered and dead. I think I'll leave the writer of this journal to explain everything to you." He said.

"That might be easier said than done." Said a voice from behind them. Turning, Kendra spotted Warren standing in the doorway. He was as rugged and handsome as ever, but he looked a little frustrated. He shrugged off his leather jacket and let the duffle bag he held drop to the floor.

"She hasn't responded?" Grandpa asked. Warren handed him an opened envelope, scoffing. Kendra rarely saw him so frustrated, let alone angry.

"Oh, she responded. You know how petty she can be, and it doesn't help that she knows I'm here." He scowled. Grandpa gave him a look.

"Warren, you're an adult now. It will make things a lot easier for all of us if you two just talk and settle things." He said. Kendra and Seth backed away and whispered to each other.

"Who are they talking about?" Seth asked. Kendra shrugged.

"I don't know, but Warren obviously doesn't like her. I wonder if it's an old girlfriend." She wondered. It certainly sounded like it, but she couldn't be sure. Warren saw and heard them whispering amongst each other, raising his voice so they could hear.

"She's not an old girlfriend." He defended. Grandpa snorted while reading the letter he had taken from the envelope.

"Close enough." He muttered. Warren's face reddened a little, but it vanished quickly. He moved past Grandpa and stood near Seth and Kendra. He saw the opened journal and pointed at it.

"How'd you get that?" He asked suddenly.

"She gave it to me, said it might be helpful." Grandpa said with a smile. Warren threw his hands up.

"Of course!"

"Who are you talking about?" Seth finally asked, sounding a little frustrated himself. Warren passed Grandpa a questioning look, and Grandpa nodded in return.

"I'm talking about Ethelinda," He said, "The dragon that wrote this journal."

"More dragons?" Seth sounded excited. They hadn't spoken to their dragon friend, Raxtus, or seen a dragon since last year, "Isn't a dragon a little big to use a pen?"

"She started taking on a human form a long time ago, long before your grandpa was born." Warren said.

"You sound like you know her well, or at least wish you didn't know her." Kendra tempted. Warren sighed and crossed his arms, leaning against the work bench.

"It's complicated."

"Complicated? It's about as complicated as Seth's disregard for the rules." Grandpa said. Seth frowned.

"Hey!"

"Ethelinda is a very old dragon, but she didn't start taking on a human form until she was an adult like most dragons. She and Warren met when he was a teenager. She was the same age as Warren is now, and I wouldn't doubt it if she looked the same today. Anyway, she took Warren on as an apprentice adventurer." Grandpa said. Warren winced.

"You liked her, didn't you?" Seth teased, "Was she pretty?"

"Very," Sighed Warren, "I was only a teenager when we met, so I wasn't thinking straight. The thing about Ethelinda is that she likes to be tough on certain people. She was especially tough on me. I didn't care in the beginning, but I was stubborn and arrogant. I suppose she was right when she told me that I was too young and inexperienced to go out on my own, but I just wouldn't listen. I called her old, and you know how well woman take that." He said with a wink to Seth.

"She flipped?" He asked.

"Not in the way you think she would. All she did was glare, then challenge me to a fight." In spite of how hateful he had sounded before, Warren was wearing a nostalgic smile.

"You fought with a dragon? Were you insane?" Kendra exclaimed.

"I didn't know she was a dragon at the time, and I wouldn't have cared if I had known." He admitted.

"Why did she challenge you to a fight?"

"I don't know, really. All she said was that if I beat her, I could go off on my own." Warren shrugged, "She didn't even make a condition for if she won, which makes me think that she just wanted me to prove myself. Thing is, I did lose."

"No surprise there." Grandpa said.

"She had me pinned there with a broken nose, a sprained wrist and a few bruised ribs. I hated her so badly for beating me because I really did want to be by myself. I wanted to prove to her that I was capable of taking care of myself, no matter how young and stupid she thought I was." He said. Seth lowered his head some. That sounded all too familiar to him, and so Warren's story took on a new meaning. "Know what she did after she beat me?"

"What?" Kendra didn't normally like to hear about fights, but this one was the most interesting she had heard in her life. A mortal man fighting a dragon in the shape of a human.

"She laughed. Ethelinda laughed right in my face. She said I was a weak, sniveling baby and left me there in the mountains where she lived. She said she wouldn't take me on in another fight, even after I had asked a hundred times. I've hated her since." Warren finished.

"So what's so important about her now?" Seth asked.

"He didn't know it then, but Ethelinda is a very important part of the Knights of Dawn. One of the oldest members. She serves a very important role when it comes to magic, but we'll explain tomorrow." Grandpa said.

"What's tomorrow?" Kendra asked.

"Let's just say that we're going on a field trip." Warren said. Seth and Kendra brightened. They loved staying at Fablehaven, but it was even more exciting when they were allowed to visit other magical places.

"We're going to see the dragon?" Seth asked a little too anxiously.

"Unfortunately." Warren growled.

"Where does she live?" Kendra asked. She would have normally been worried about visiting a dragon, since her previous run-ins with them were less than pleasant. Ethelinda sounded like a nice dragon, and suddenly she found herself missing Raxtus. Grandpa scratched his chin in thought.

"If I remember right, she lives in North Carolina." He said.

"At least it will be warm." Seth said. Warren laughed, shaking his head.

"Not during this time of year. They might not get as cold or snowy as we do, but it's still no day at the bench in the mountains." He said. Seth groaned.

"Grandma's going to make us wear coats."

"And for good reason, now go pack. We leave tomorrow morning, and it's going to be a long drive." Grandpa said as he closed the journal.

"We're driving?" Seth's jaw dropped open some.

"It's almost fourteen hours, so you better bring some entertainment." Warren chuckled, grabbing his jacket and duffle bag. Kendra already had planned which books she would bring with her, but she wasn't looking forward to a sore bottom after fourteen hours of sitting in a car. Leaving the secret room, Kendra and Seth raced to their attic bedroom to determine who would get to ride shotgun tomorrow morning.


	2. Chapter Two

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own any part of Fablehaven. I only own Ethelinda and anything I make up, including the Tree of Life and the Lesser trees.**

**I love Warren, don't you? Don't worry, he'll stop being moody after chapter three. I promise he'll be back to his sarcastic, adventurous and funny self soon. He and Ethelinda (Linda) just have a few things they need to work out. Hehe.

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**Chapter Two;  
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The first half of the trip had been pleasant enough for Kendra, and it was mostly thanks to the fact that she was sitting in the front of the SUV with her grandfather. Seth and Warren were sitting in back, with Seth grumbling about how Kendra had cheated in their race the night before. Secretly relishing in her moment of glory, Kendra hid how comfortable she was behind a book she had been reading since they had took off that morning. Reading could only entertain her for so long, however. Seth had even gotten bored of the hand-held video game he was playing, which hadn't happened since they had first been dropped off at their grandparents' home on their first visit to Fablehaven.

Fast food wrappers littered the floor of the car in front of Seth and Warren, a full serving of McDonald's large fries sitting between the two. Warren reached for them every once and a while to munch on them as he, too, read. Kendra had leant the book to him, since his sulking was wearing on Grandpa's nerves. He had insisted that he remain at Fablehaven with his older brother, Dale, and Grandma, but Grandpa was sure that having Warren with them would help. Warren doubted this greatly, but reading had clearly taken his mind away from their destination. Reaching for more, he felt that there were a few fries missing. He looked to the red, cardboard cup.

Seth whistled innocently beside him, licking some tiny flecks of salt from his lips. Warren glared and shoved Seth on the shoulder, "You ate my fries!"

"I asked you nicely when you got them, but you were a goober and said no." Seth said.

"I said no because I knew you'd eat them all." Warren said, moving his fries to his other side. Seth pouted and leaned forward to tap Grandpa on the shoulder.

"Grandpa! Warren isn't sharing." He whined. Kendra resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"We asked if you wanted some of your own, and you said no. Tough luck." Grandpa said. Seth fell back into his seat and huffed. For a thirteen-year-old, he still acted like a spoiled child. Warren gave him a smug look and slowly slid a fry into his mouth, torturing Seth with how much he enjoyed it.

"Grandpa!"

"Warren, how old are you?" Grandpa asked in a low tone, looking to the man through the rear-view mirror. Warren chewed normally and swallowed, lowering his head.

"Twenty-six." He muttered.

"Act like it, then. We have more six more hours before we reach North Carolina, and I don't want to feel like I'm babysitting three minors instead of two." He said. Warren waited for Grandpa to return his eyes to the road before throwing a fry at Seth. Seth grabbed it and ate it, as if it didn't really bother him. Kendra laughed quietly behind her book, then closed it in her lap to stretch herself out.

"Are there any preservations like Fablehaven in North Carolina?" She asked. Grandpa shook his head.

"No, but there's a small one in South Carolina. Where we're going is much smaller, but just as important." He said.

"Are we going to see the tree in that book?" Seth asked.

"Sort of." Warren tossed the book he was reading back to Kendra, who gently placed it into her bag. He put his hands behind his head, "Ethelinda will want to explain it, she takes pride in her work."

"What's Ethelinda like?" Kendra asked, turning in her seat to look at Warren. Seth didn't appear so, but he was interested to know too.

"She's a hard one to explain. She was so tough on me that I often thought of her as a cantankerous old shrew. She never let me fail and she worked me to the bone, but there were times when she was the nicest person I had ever met. She seemed almost motherly back then. Now that I think about it, she's a lot more caring than I let myself believe. She can be petty sometimes, and doesn't let people forget their failures." He said. Seeing the look of worry on Kendra's face, he made a quick amendment, "I'm sure she'll like you and Seth just fine."

"What kind of dragon is she?" Seth asked.

"No idea." Warren said simply, "I've never seen her dragon form."

"That's lame. Do you think she'll show us?" He was hopeful, and it showed.

"Knowing her, she will just in spite of me."

"Or she's grown a little more mature over the years, unlike you." Grandpa said. Warren opened his mouth to speak, but slid into his seat like a stubborn child.

"Maybe she feels bad about what she did and you two can be friends again?" Kendra suggested. Inside her mind, she imagined a romantic story of a man falling in love with a dragon that took on the shape of a beautiful woman, and that their love would grow stronger once they were reunited. Warren's scoff broke through her day dreaming.

"I'll eat one of Seth's shoes if that happens." He said. Shaking her head, Kendra sat properly in her seat. She lifted her book again and found the page she had stopped on, going silent as she began to read once more. Seth and Warren continued to bicker quietly like children, but Grandpa ignored them the rest of the way.

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"Kendra, wake up. We're here."

Someone was shaking her. Kendra grumbled and lifted her head from the window, cheek red from having it pressed flat against it. Drool coated her chin, so she scratched it away. Warren sat beside her, having taken control of the car once Grandpa was too tired. Blinking her eyes, she looked out the front window to see that it was dully dark outside. Only the stars and a half moon provided light, but it was nothing compared to her ability to see in the dark. Somewhere in the distance, she spotted a glowing window.

"Where's here?" She asked in a tired daze.

"Ethelinda's home. Wake your brother for me, will you?" Warren popped open the driver side door, waking Grandpa. He muttered something about his back and cracked many joints while struggling out of the seatbelt. Kendra rubbed her eyes and get out of the SUV as well, sliding the back door open to shake Seth.

"Seth, we're here. Come on, get up." She urged quietly. Seth slapped her hand away, smacking his lips. He didn't show any signs of waking, so she shook him even harder. When he grunted awake, he looked around with bleary eyes.

"Did we crash?" He asked. Kendra was too tired to insult him.

"No, we've made it. Get out of the car, I'm not carrying your things." She said, wandering over to the back of the car. Warren handed over her duffle bag, dishing out the rest of the luggage before slamming the back door closed. The sound must have alerted someone in the cabin not far away because more lights sprang to life in the shape of windows, as well as a floodlight that was connected to the front porch. Kendra was forced to squint at the brightness of the light. Seth groaned, as did Grandpa and Warren.

"Mind turning the lights down?" He called. A dark figure formed in the path of the floodlight.

"Mind not being so rude?" Called a female voice. It was ever so slightly speckled with a Southern accent, but the strength and force in the voice overpowered the small twang. Warren scowled.

"Can you please turn the light off?" He asked politely. The light died the moment he asked.

"That's better. I guess little Warren hasn't learned anything." She said. "Or is he not so little anymore?"

"I've grown up, surprisingly." He said, approaching the front porch. It was a simple log cabin large enough to have easily housed five people. There were two stories, one half of the first floor walled only by a large glass window. Kendra avoided peeking inside as they drew closer to the house. Instead, she looked to the woman on the porch.

"Ethelinda, it's nice to see you again." Grandpa said.

"It's nice to see you again, too, Stan. I was hoping you would contact me after what had happened with the Society. I was worried." She said with true concern.

"I know, and I apologize. Everyone is fine." Grandpa motioned for Kendra and Seth to come over, "These are my grandchildren, Kendra and Seth. This is Ethelinda."

"You two can call me Linda, for short." Ethelinda offered her hand to each.

Kendra was vaguely reminded of Vanessa when she saw Ethelinda up close. She was stall and slender with a slight built, though her skin wasn't nearly as tanned as Vanessa's was. Her lips were full but did not pout, and were pulled into a large smile that revealed her white teeth. Bright blue eyes betrayed every ounce of magic within her, though she had to flick away the feathered layers of her dark brown hair to uncover them. She wore a tight brown shirt and dark jeans with boots, a jacket keeping her warm. Ethelinda wasn't what Kendra was expecting after having seen other dragons in their human form. Shaking her hand, Kendra couldn't suppress her giddiness.

"It's nice to meet you, Linda." She said. Seth stood beside her, smitten with the woman. It wasn't the first time, and Kendra was sure that it would end just as abruptly as his crush on Vanessa had. He stammered when he shook her hand, a cough escaping him when Warren nudged him between the shoulder blades.

"You're Seth, hmm? The shadow charmer?" She asked. Seth smiled awkwardly.

"Yeah." Was all me managed.

"That's awfully impressive for a boy your age, as well as being fairykind." She said, her eyes returning to Kendra. Warren cleared his throat.

"What about me?"

"What about you? Oh, that's right. If Stan informed me correctly, and I don't doubt that he did, you were turned into a catatonic albino. Wasn't getting trounced by a dragon hard enough for you?" She asked, clicking her tongue in pity.

"I can beat you now, so hold your tongue." He warned. Linda lifted a single, thick brow while eying the man. She gently put a hand on Kendra's shoulder and pushed herself away from the others. Warren stood his ground, hazel eyes narrowed. Linda stood very close, but her eyes were narrowed as well. Kendra felt the tension in the air, and it made it nearly impossible to move. If Linda had been in her dragon form, she was sure that Warren would be paralyzed with fear.

Dragons were feared because of the paralyzing fear that they cast upon mortals. One would be completely unable to move for defend themselves, save for those who have been dubbed dragon tamers. They could, if lucky, speak to dragons. Seth and Kendra together, while in physical contact with each other, were a single dragon tamer. They weren't very good at it, but they supposed that it was a good thing that they didn't need to practice.

"Hold _my_ tongue?" Linda asked quietly, "Isn't that what I told you those many years ago?"

"I was young, you knew that." Warren said.

"And you still are, compared to me. Do not expect to make it out of here alive if you find yourself brave enough to speak to me like that again. Am I understood?" The chipper and kind face had melted away to a threatening snarl. Warren was a brave man and few things rattled him, but this had an affect on him. He lowered his eyes.

"You're understood." He muttered ruefully. Kendra exhaled. She hadn't realized that she was holding her breath, but she had been sure of Warren's doom. Turning, Linda opened her arms to the others.

"You all look tired. Follow me inside, and I'll show you each to a room." She said kindly, all signs of anger gone. Seth brightened considerably.

"We get our own rooms?" He asked. Linda nodded.

"Of course. A young man, such as yourself, doesn't want to share a room with his sister, does he? You need your space." She said. Seth looked as if he had fallen in love. Linda then whispered to Kendra, "And a blossoming young lady mustn't suffer thought the night with her brother so near."

Kendra smiled weakly, "What do you mean by suffer?"

"Just a joke, dear. Everyone assumes the mountains are haunted." She winked, "Helps that I'm a dragon."

"Do you get many visitors?" Kendra asked. Linda shook her head, then motioned for everyone to follow her. It was growing colder outside, so they huddled inside.

"You four are the first visitors I've had in years. I had someone here to keep me company, but he decided to run off on his own." Linda crossed her arms after closing the door, "My jobs keeps me very lonely."

"I hope you don't mind that we stay here for a night." Grandpa said. Linda waved his words away.

"It's no trouble at all, but I assume there's a reason why you've come here." She said. Grandpa nodded, then looked to Kendra and Seth.

"I think it's best if we let these two get their sleep." He suggested.

"Of course, young ones need their rest. Follow me, you two." Linda ushered them up a wooden staircase that sat to the left side of the narrow entranceway. There was a room to each side, and neither had a door. Seth peeked into the left room as they neared the stairs, but all he saw was a dining room with a long table and six chairs.

"Can't we stay up a little longer?" He asked. Linda looked to Grandpa, and he shook his head.

"It's already late, and you two will be grateful for the sleep tomorrow." He assured them. Seth huffed, and continued to drag his bags up the stairs behind Linda. She showed them each to a room that was sparsely decorated. Each had a bed, a nightstand with a lamp, a small dresser and a television. Seth gasped and flung his bag inside, running towards the television. He hugged it and closed his eyes.

"Oh, how I've missed you." He sighed. Linda and Kendra laughed.

"Stan and I will be downstairs, if you need us. Good night." Linda said sweetly. Kendra smiled.

"Thank you. Good night." Kendra returned to her room and turned to close the door, but Seth prevented her from doing so. "Seth! You scared me."

"Sorry. Want to sneak down the stairs?" He asked.

"What?"

"They're going to talk about stuff without us. I want to know what they're talking about." He insisted, "Come on."

Kendra grabbed Seth's sleeve and shook her head, "No. Do you really want to make them mad? Linda's a dragon, remember?"

"So? She's nice, she won't hurt us. And Grandpa can't do anything." Seth said slyly. Kendra bit her lower lip. She did want to know why they were there, and knowing would make it easier to fall asleep in a new place.

"Fine, but be quiet." She said. Both tip-toed their way down the stairs, stepping on the very edge of each step to keep the worn wood from groaning. They listened for voices, following them to the room that was to the right and across from the dining room. They didn't dare peek inside, but pressed against the hallway wall and listened.

"I'm sorry I had you put them to bed, Ethelinda, but I wanted to surprise them tomorrow." Grandpa said. Kendra suddenly felt a mixture of guilt and giddiness. Seth squirmed impatiently behind her.

"You know I love children, Stan. It was no trouble at all." Linda said softly, "But what exactly did you want to surprise them with?"

"I was hoping you could take us to see the Lesser Tree." Grandpa said. Linda must have gotten them something to drink because a spewing noise followed after Grandpa's request.

"You aren't serious?" Linda asked between coughs.

"I am. These kids have been through so much, and I thought it would be nice to let them see the Lesser Tree." He said.

"No, I'm sorry. You know the rules, Stan." Linda said in a low, serious tone.

"You were always a stickler for the rules." Warren said, "Can't you just break them once for us?"

"If I broke a rule for anyone, it certainly wouldn't be you." Linda snapped. Kendra heard Warren mumble to himself, but she couldn't understand a single word he said.

"I'm just asking to have them see it for a minute, nothing more. They won't touch it, I promise. They're very well behaved children. Kendra is, anyway." Grandpa said. Linda said nothing. All Seth and Kendra could hear was the crackling of a fire and the sipping of liquids. Finally, Linda sighed.

"Stan, I can't. I'm sorry. You are all more than welcome to stay here for a night and enjoy the mountains, but I cannot break the rules for you." It sounded like she had stood, but then the sound was repeated. Kendra felt the tension again, so she peeked. Linda and Warren were standing. Grandpa was seated at one end of a sofa, while Warren stood at the other end. Linda stood with her hands on her hips in front of a large, plush chair that had a high back. The fire flickered and warped their shadows, making then taller, then fatter, then thin again. Kendra saw that Warren was clenching a fist.

"You're a coward." He said. Linda didn't seem fazed by the insult.

"And you're a hypocrite. You expect me to hold my tongue when yours is so willing to flap." She said calmly. Warren's fist clenched even tighter.

"Then I propose we solve two problems at once." Warren said. Linda lifted both brows in interest.

"What are you talking about?"

"I'll get the rematch I've been wanting, and you're going to break the rules for us." He said. Linda shrugged and shook her head, walking up to Warren. Kendra caught sight of the woman's eyes flicking to her, so she ducked her head back into the hallway.

"I think she spotted me, I think we should go back up stairs." She said. Seth shook his head.

"But it's getting good!" He pleaded.

"You'll get a fight when you're smart enough to realize that it isn't always the best way to settle things." Linda said softly. Kendra heard footfalls and tried to push Seth back up the stairs. Linda stopped at the doorway and gave them a look, but Warren spoke again.

"Or, better yet, if I make you a bet." He said. There was a devious, knowing tone to his voice. Linda stopped. Kendra saw the woman's eyes flash, and a smirk grew on her lips. She gave a look to Kendra and Seth, who were frozen; not with fear, but with the thought that she would tell their grandfather. Linda put a finger to her lips, then turned.

"You're a cruel man, Warren. It isn't very gentlemanly to use a woman's weakness against her." She said, walking back into the den. Warren shrugged.

"It worked, though." He said.

"I didn't know you gambles, Linda." Grandpa said with mild surprise. Linda put on a sheepish smile.

"Never with money, I promise. Just favors and such, all clean." She said, "What are you wagering, Warren?"

"If you win, we'll leave and never bother you again. If I win, you'll take all of us to see the Lesser Tree." He said. It sounded as if he had planned the bet before hand. Linda hesitated, then offered her hand to him. They shook strongly, a smile on each of their faces.

"You've got yourself a bet, my friend. We'll fight tomorrow morning, in the clearing not far from here." She said.

"Weapons?" Warren inquired. Linda made a thoughtful noise.

"Use whatever you want, nothing will work." She said confidently. Grandpa whistled.

"Sounds like she's got you beat already, Warren." He said with a laugh. Warren grunted.

"We'll see." Storming out of the den, Warren stopped to see Kendra and Seth making their way back to the second floor. Seth stopped and looked to him with an excited look on his face.

"Can we watch?" He asked. Warren said nothing. He only climbed the stairs and passed them, a look of worry on his face. Kendra worried about him. He hadn't known the dangers of fighting a dragon the first time, but now was different. Not for the sake of seeing this Lesser Tree, she hoped he would come out alive and victorious.


	3. Chapter Three

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fablehaven, Brandon Mull does. I DO own Ethelinda (Linda), the Tree of Life (Balistair) and other made-up materials.**

**Wow, two people reviewed already! I was so excited to see the comments. They were so NICE. Thank you to fRANkiEGirL61 and kkg2g for their support and wonderful reviews. You two have no idea how happy you made me. I'll try to write as quickly as I can, ****fRANkiEGirL61. :3 I hope you two, as well as everyone else, enjoy this chapter. I'm terrible with fight scenes, so I apologize. Review if you want.

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**Chapter Three;  
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When morning came the next day, Kendra was gently woken by the sweet smell of pancakes. Rising from her bed, she stretched and smiled. Outside her window, she was blessed with a view of the mountains. Flecked and powdered with snow, the tips blended in with the fluffy whiteness of the clouds. Pine trees that were once a vibrant green were now a clean white, the freshly fallen snow weighing each branch down. She was sure that it was chilly out, so she was sure to pick a sweater while gathering her clothes for the day. She changed quickly in the bathroom, then ran down stairs. The smell was coming from two places, but she wandered towards the dining room.

"Morning! These pancakes are awesome, Kendra." Seth said enthusiastically, swallowing _after_ he had spoken. Kendra was put off by the sight of her brothers poor table manners, but the multiple stacks of pancakes in the middle of the table made her stomach growl hungrily. Seating herself beside Seth, she grabbed a plate and piled five pancakes onto it. Beside the larger plate of pancakes were many bowls full of different fruits, a bowl of chocolate chips, and powdered sugar. Kendra took a moment to look the fruits over before dumping a spoonful of strawberries and powdered sugar over hers. Seth had a mountain of chocolate chips on his, the powdered sugar on top reminding her of the mountains.

"I'm glad I woke up when I did. Everyone wakes up so early." Linda pushed through a thin, swinging door across from them. Kendra caught a look at the chrome kitchen, but it was soon blocked by the door. In Linda's hands were more pancakes, no doubt for Grandpa, Warren and herself, "How does it feel waking up in the mountains?"

"It was cold last night." Seth mumbled behind his mouthful of food.

"I'm sorry, Seth. You could have asked for more blankets." Linda said with a sweet smile. Seth's face went a little red, so he focused on eating. Kendra knew he wouldn't have asked, even if he wanted to. He was too shy around Linda to even ask for a glass of water. "And you, Kendra?"

"I was fine. Does it always look like this in the morning?" Kendra asked, looking out the dining room window. She was greeted by more snow, mountains and trees.

"Not always, but I've always loved the mountains. Even when the ground is muddy with melted snow, I love it." Linda said with a dreamy sigh. Kendra smiled wide and took a bite of her breakfast.

Their silverware clanked against the plates as they ate and talked. They were soon joined by Grandpa, who looked like he had woken up in a good mood. He topped his pancakes with blueberries and syrup. The conversation doubled once he had taken a bite. They laughed and shared stories, though most of it was about the downfall of the Society of the Evening Star. Kendra wondered why Linda didn't already know any of this, and she mustered up enough courage to ask.

"Do you remember when the Sphinx said that there were a few people that couldn't attend the meeting when you were brought into the Knights of Dawn, though they were suspected of being traitors?" Grandpa asked in exchange. Kendra nodded.

"I was one of those people," Linda said. "The Captain, or the Sphinx, allowed me to skip the meeting because my job here is very important."

"What's your job?" Seth asked.

"I'd love to tell you, but that would be breaking the rules." She said, looking to Grandpa. He ignored her gaze, stuffing a big bite of food into his mouth.

"But you can tell us after you fight Warren, right?" Seth asked. Grandpa coughed, glaring at Seth.

"How did you-?"

"It's all right, Stan. If Warren beats me today, I will do more than tell you what my job is. I'll show you." She said. Kendra couldn't help but feel a little excited, but her worry was beginning to mount again. From the corner of her eye, she spotted Warren walking into the dining room. He was fixing some white bandages around his knuckles and wrists. Linda became very stiff and quiet, avoiding his eyes.

"Ready?" Warren asked gruffly. Linda lowered her fork and knife to the napkin on the table.

"Won't you eat first? I'd feel like a rude hostess if you didn't." She said, folding her hands in front of her. She looked as if she'd rather not fight him, but the binding oath of a bet kept her from begging him to reconsider.

"Too late for that. Let's go." Warren walked out, letting cold air rush in from the front door. The moment he was gone, Seth ran to get his coat. Grandpa called for him to come back, but Linda patted his wrinkled hand.

"The boy wants to see a fight, and he will. Warren will want witnesses to be sure that I won't cheat." She said.

"Would you cheat?" Kendra asked.

"Never have, never will." She said, standing. "Get your coat."

Kendra dropped her fork and went to get her coat, Seth darting past her on the stairs. She wanted to tell him to be careful, but he wouldn't have listened if she had. Fetching her coat and gloves, she put them on as she went back down to the first floor. Grandpa and Seth were fully dressed and waiting beside Linda, who had yet to put anything warm on. She simply remained in her camouflage shirt and jeans, though her boots looked pretty warm.

"Does Warren know where he's going?" Grandpa asked.

"He does." Linda smiled and stepped out, "The clearing is where I beat him last time."

The snow had stopped well before anyone had woken up that day, but the chill had lingered. Breath fogged up in front of bright red faces. Linda's breath didn't fog up as much as everyone else's, and her skin remained as warm looking as it had in the cabin.

"Aren't you cold?" Seth asked, "Do you want my coat?"

"You're such a sweetie!" Linda smiled and ruffled his hair, "No, thanks. I'm fine. Dragon breath keeps me warm." She laughed. Seth blushed and smiled to himself. Kendra said nothing as they pushed passed the thick trees and snow-crusted bushes. Five minutes later, they reached the clearing. It was blanketed by snow on one half, the other looking as if someone had flattened it with their feet. The surface shimmered under the sun, the melting snow freezing into thin sheets of ice. Warren continued to stomp the snow down, even as they approached. Seth and Kendra made to enter the clearing, but Grandpa yanked them back quickly.

"What?"

"Look there." Grandpa crouched down and dug a large chunk of snow away from the ground, revealing to them a ring of what looked like burnt grass. It looked like it had been scorched by fire, but it didn't crumble into ash or smell burnt.

"What's that?" Seth asked.

"It must be a spell to keep those outside of the ring safe from danger. I'm sure that if you had been inside that circle, you'd be drawn into the fight." He said. Kendra paled even more, and it wasn't because of the cold.

"They won't be in danger, will they?" Her voice cracked with worry. Grandpa shook his head.

"They shouldn't be. They should be smart enough to know when to stop." He said, his eyes betraying every ounce of concern inside him. Kendra looked back to the clearing. The snow had been fully packed down, the slippery surface adding a greater danger to the fight. Warren and Linda stood on opposite sides, staring at each other intently.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Linda asked loudly. Warren's lips twitched in a smirk, the first Kendra had seen since he had returned to Fablehaven.

"Not a chance, old lady. Put up your dukes." He said. Linda couldn't help but laugh a little, and she did put up her fists. The air became very still. The birds that had once sang were how completely hushed, and the air had stopped moving. Warren and Linda didn't move an inch. If Kendra hadn't known better, she would have thought they were frozen solid. Somewhere, snow slipped from a weak branch and landed to the ground with a _flump_. Warren pounced.

He was careful with his foot placement, since even the slightest miscalculation could cause him to slip and hurt himself. Still, he was quick. He darted across the small clearing, his right fist aimed at her side. Linda waited. She was amazingly patient, but her eyes were darting in every direction. Once Warren's fist was close enough to her side, she trapped it between her ribs and her left arm. Warren tried to tug it back and received a right hook to the face. Kendra gasped. She hadn't expected to see a real blow. Seth suddenly shouted beside her.

"Show him who's boss, Linda!" He cheered. Kendra elbowed him hard.

"Be quiet." She hissed. Seth frowned.

"Uh, how about I don't? I want to cheer for Linda." He said. Kendra narrowed her eyes, then faced the clearing. She put her hands to her mouth.

"You can do it, Warren!" Kendra called. Grandpa smiled at their sudden rivalry, but chose not to pick sides. He simply watched. Linda and Warren parted quickly after the blow had been dealt, but they were at it again a second later. They heard the cheers from outside the clearing, and it further sparked the flames inside them. Warren's fists were fast, the bandages that he had wrapped around them glistening with sweat.

"Stop moving." He panted. Linda ducked low and tackled him at the knees.

"Say please." She said. Warren scowled and put his feet under her stomach, flipping her onto her back. Linda gasped, the air knocked out from her lungs. Warren rose quickly and stood over her, leaning some.

"Guess I got what I wanted anyway." He jeered. Linda took many deep breaths, then tossed a handful of snow at his face. The shock of the cold and the surprise of the dirty trick made Warren stumble back. He danced for a moment as the snow dripped down his back and chest, "Cold!"

"Baby want a blanket?" Linda asked, standing. Warren glared, then bolted. The flurry of blows became so fast that Kendra thought she might be seeing things. Inside the clearing, Warren and Linda were colorful blurs. Even Seth noticed.

"What's going on?" He asked, this enthusiasm gone.

"Must be another spell." Grandpa said, "The fight itself isn't being sped up, just their motions."

"I can't see anything." Seth asked, squinting.

"They'll slow down. Even dragons don't have infinite stamina." He said, and his point was proven sooner than they expected. Warren and Linda were swaying slightly, standing many feet apart. Kendra and Seth watched closely, much like their father did when he watched a football game. Both inside the clearing looked battered and bruised. Warren spit out a glob of saliva and blood.

"Grandpa, he's bleeding." Kendra cried.

"Don't worry." Grandpa put a hand on her shoulder, "It will be over soon."

Linda stumbled forward, a hand placed firmly on her right arm. She looked tired and sick, but she was determined to continue. Warren waited, much like she had in the beginning. The bandages he wore were unraveled now, but he didn't seem to care. Linda let go of her arm and ran forward, stopping fast to send a kick to the head. Warren grabbed her foot and wrapped some of the bandage around it. He grabbed one of her arms and tied it with the leg behind her back, knocking her off balance. She fell forward, the front of her clothes soaked with melted snow. She shivered, letting Warren pin her with a knee to the back.

"I win." Warren muttered. His lower lip was swollen, and there was a cut on his cheek. And, like Linda, he had a black-and-blue eye. Linda fared worse than him, but there was a smile on her face.

"I'm glad to hear it." She let her face rest on the snow, "I was tired of feeling guilty for beating you before."

"Let's forget it then? Let bygones be bygones? Water under the bring, all that good stuff." Warren stood straight and undid the bandages, helping her to rise. They dusted snow off each other, then hugged tight. Kendra didn't really care who had won. She was just glad to see that they were done with the fight and hadn't obliterated each other. They walked out of the clearing together, but their wounds remained.

"You two look horrible." Grandpa said. Linda laughed.

"You should have seen us last time. Warren looked like he'd been through a meat grinder." She said. Warren shrugged.

"Who cares? I won this time, and you owe us." Warren said, shoving her lightly with a poke to the shoulder.

"I know, I know." Linda winced slightly, touching her bruised eye. "Is it bad?"

Kendra and Seth shook their heads, but she knew they were lying.

"Are you going to tell us what your job is now?" Seth asked eagerly, bouncing on the heels of his sneakers.

"I suppose I have to, but let me rest for a bit. I've never fought so hard in my entire life, and I've lived for a very long time." Slumping against a tree, pulling a knee up to rest her arm on. Warren crossed his arms and smirked.

"We're even now." He said. Linda closed her eyes and brushed some of her wet hair from her face, leaning her head back against the trunk of the tree.

"I have to say that you're the only mortal I'd ever really want to lose to because you're the only one who deserves it." She said, looking to him, "I'm sorry about before."

"Forget it. You did what you had to." He said, leaning against the same tree she sat against. Kendra was smiling at their newly revived friendship, but Seth looked beyond disappointed.

"That's it? No more fighting?" He whined.

"You could always challenge her, Seth." Warren said with a laugh. Seth opened his mouth, then stepped back.

"No, thanks." He coughed. Kendra gave him a 'you-are-such-a-coward' look that he stuck his tongue out to. Linda, now satisfied with her short rest, stood. Kendra felt a little concern for her and Warren, since their bruises and cuts looked pretty bad.

"Are you two going to be okay? Maybe we should go back to the cabin." She said.

"We'll be perfectly fine, Kendra. These only smart for a little while, but they're signs of pride for us. Even a week after the fight, Warren wouldn't let me take care of him." She said, passing him a smile. He returned it warmly.

"I was stubborn." He admitted.

"More than stubborn, but enough of this. I have a bet that I am obliged to fulfill! So if you two are ready, I'd like to get started now." She said. Kendra and Seth shared an excited look.

"We're ready." Seth said. Linda clapped her hands together and rubbed them vigorously.

"Excellent, but before we go, there are a few things I must do. Will everyone but Kendra line up in front of me?" She asked. Kendra frowned curiously and stepped aside and Seth and Warren shoved each other for the first place in line. Grandpa finally pulled Seth back, putting him in the middle.

"What are you going to do?" Kendra asked, moving to stand behind the humanoid-dragon. Linda smiled knowingly.

"You know how some dragons have powers that other dragons don't?" She asked. Kendra nodded, "This is one of those things. Since you're fairykind, you can already see what others can't. These three haven't had any milk, so this is my temporary solution."

"You can give them the ability to see without the milk?" Kendra asked. Linda nodded, then proceeded to pucker her lips. Warren closed his eyes, Linda's breath flowing out to touch his eyelids. Kendra watched closely as the sun caught tiny, golden sparkles bobbing away from her lips. Linda swept her breath from one eye to the other, until she was sure Warren could see. Seth and Grandpa were treated with the same breath. Seth patted his face with his gloves.

"I don't feel any different." He said.

"Of course not. Does the milk make you feel any different when you drink it?" She asked. Seth shook his head, "Point proven. This doesn't last as long as the milk, but it should last just long enough to reach the cave."

"What cave?" Kendra asked. Linda turned and pointed towards the mountains. From where they stood, the mountains looked even taller than at the cabin. The jagged outline was faint behind the clouds, as well as where the trees were forced to stop. Near the bottom of a particularly short mountain rested the open mouth of a cave.

"That is where I work." She said.

"Better than a stuffy cubicle." Seth observed. Linda laughed.

"I second that," She said. "It's just a short hike up there. Maybe half an hour if we keep at it."

"We don't have any donkeys to ride up there?" Seth asked.

"You could always hitch a ride on Warren's back. That's the closest thing to a donkey that we have." Linda said with a shrug.

"At least I don't smell like one." In spite of the insult, Warren and Linda were smiling. It was clear that it was friendly banter, rather than spiteful bickering. Grandpa cleared his throat, and Linda suppressed a smile.

"We better leave now. The cave disappears and relocates itself every hour, and where it is right now is the only accessible location that doesn't call for climbing gear." Linda explained.

"Let's hop to it, then. Last one there is a rotten egg." Called Warren as he ran for the base of the mountain. Seth whooped and raced after him, followed by a slower Linda, Kendra and Grandpa. Kendra tapped Linda on the arm.

"Why did you suddenly agree to fight with Warren when he told us that you refused for so long?" She asked, "If I'm not prying."

"Warren left the mountains a month after the fight took place. He asked at least three times a day for a rematch, but I refused each time. I didn't take pleasure in hurting him the first time, and I didn't want to do it again. When he left, I was crushed. He was the last person I ever had a real connection with, and I felt as if he had abandoned me. I would have went after him if my duties here weren't so important. The reason I finally went through with the fight was because I owed him that much for coming back." She said, her gaze distant, "I missed him…"

Grandpa put a hand on her back, "He never showed it, but I know he missed you too."

"I agree. Warren sounded mean and tough when he talked about you, but he's just a softie." Kendra said. Linda smiled and looked down at her.

"You think so?"

"I know so." Kendra nodded once. Linda's face brightened more.

"That's good to know. I thought he hated me." Linda shook her head and ran forward a few feet, "All this talk about the past is a waste of our time. Kendra, I say we show the boys who they're dealing with!"

"Grandpa?" Kendra glanced to him, and he urged her to go.

"I'll catch up. Have fun." He said. Kendra grinned and rushed to meet with Linda, and the two took off to beat the boys at their own game. Grandpa watched with a smile on his face. It was good to see that even after all of the trouble that had happened between each and every one of them, that they were able to have fun and enjoy the company. He only hoped that it would last as long as he wanted, though something inside him told him that things weren't as great as they seemed. Call it instinct, but he felt that, somewhere, evil was dwelling once more.

"It's all in my head." Grandpa muttered to himself. Shaking his head, he picked up the pace before he was left behind.


	4. Chapter Four

**DISCLAIMER: Once again, I do not own Fablehaven. I own Ethelinda (Linda), Balistair and everything else that isn't under Brandon Mull's ownership.**

**Four chapters, guys. I'm on the roll with this. I usually suffer from intense and merciless writer's block, but this is something that comes easily to me. I guess Brandon made it easy, but I hope you all still like it. I sort of feel bad for Seth in this chapter, but he has to show some signs of trouble making or else my plot will fail utterly. Thanks for the reviews, guys~ Also, I apologize for any spelling or grammar errors.  


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**Chapter Four;  
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It had been a close race, but it was Warren who had won. Winning the fight must have filled Warren with confidence because he had taken the lead over everyone, even Kendra. She supposed it was her lack of involvement in soccer that had rendered her tired, but she had beaten Seth. Linda streaked past both of them, her and Warren panting heavily on the stone shelf that jutted out in front of the cave. Kendra and Seth dragged themselves along the narrow path that snaked its way up the side of the mountain, dropping once they were sure they could walk no further. Grandpa Sorenson was the only one who was able to ascend without losing his breath. He stood between Warren and Linda, hands clasped behind him.

"I'm ready when you are." He said with a smile. Linda stood straight and patted her chest, as if to urge the air to rush inside.

"I think I've gotten older in the past hour." She said with a wheeze.

"You beat me and Kendra." Seth pointed out as he laid flat on the rock. Linda took in a final breath, then patted Warren on the back.

"He beat us all. I may be in my human form, but dragons are always more awkward on the ground than we are in the sky." She said. Warren was still doubled over his knees, trying to calm his breathing.

"Then I'm glad we chose to race on the ground." Warren laughed weakly. Linda moved away from him to approach Seth and Kendra. She crouched down so she was eye-level with them.

"Ready to see something cool?" She asked. They nodded, so Linda stood and turned to face the cave, "Anuale. Bruno. Come out of hiding and reveal yourselves to my guests."

The moment the command was issues, the rock shelf and the walls began to shake. It wasn't dangerously violent, but it was enough to startle everyone but Linda. From each side of the cave's entrance stepped forth a golem. They were a little taller than Hugo, the golem that worked at Fablehaven, and looked as if they were dominated by rock. Their ape-like forms were familiar, with their disproportionately large hands and feet. They stopped in front of Linda, her head easily reaching their abdomens.

"Golems!" Seth scrambled to his feet and hurried over to one, "Are they real golems?"

"Sadly, no. I didn't make the myself, but they were here when I was assigned to protect this place." Linda said. Warren regained himself and touched a gigantic, rocky arm.

"They were hidden well." He said." I wouldn't have guessed that they were there."

"That's the point. No one is allowed up here but myself and those I deem worthy. If ever there is a chance that someone passes the barriers, they will be met with a certain death at the hands of Anuale and Bruno. They'll never see it coming." She said.

"Can I command one?" Seth pleaded. Linda tapped her lips in though, watching as he squirmed and gave her the best pair of puppy-dog eyes he could muster.

"Only one command." She decided. Seth jumped up happily.

"Yes!"

"Anuale, you will follow the next command Seth gives you. Understand?" Linda said, pointing to Seth. The golem nodded, then turned to Seth.

"Punch the other golem." He ordered. Anuale did nothing.

"I don't usually condone that kind of order, but say Bruno's name if you want Anuale to punch him." Linda instructed.

"Punch Bruno, Anuale." Seth said. Anuale turned and pulled a rocky fist back, slamming it into Bruno's head. Bits of rock and dirt fell to the floor, but it didn't look like a lot of damage had been caused. Bruno tipped on one leg and pin wheeled, jerking to the side to regain his balance. He bumped into Anuale, who toppled over. Seth burst into laugher at the sight.

"A sight like that makes me grateful that we only have one golem." Grandpa said. Linda and Warren were even laughing at the slap-stick scene.

"That was great." Linda wiped a tear away, "I didn't think that was going to happen. Anuale, rise."

Anuale rose and stood still. Once Linda was calm, she sent both golems back into their hiding spots. The golem shaped depressions in the rock face were just large enough that they could fit into, but small enough that they were hidden well. The golems even had snow gathered in some spots, their forms melting into the rest of the mountain.

"Now that we've had our fun, who's ready to go inside the dark, creepy cave?" She asked. No one spoke, "Oh, it was just a joke."

"Is there a Lesser Tree inside?" Seth asked.

"I thought you had learned not to listen in on conversations that you're not involved in?" Grandpa growled.

"Oh, it's all right. I figured there were eavesdroppers, anyway." Linda said, "There is a Lesser Tree inside. If you will all follow me, we'll step into the cave before it moves."

Leading the way, Linda stepped into the dark gullet of the cave. Inside the cave, hidden against the oily blackness of the rock walls, was a torch. It was unlit, but smelled strongly of burning wood. Reaching back, Linda motioned for someone to hand her a lighter or a match. Seth took out a cigarette lighter from his pocket and handed it over, letting a suspicious look from the woman. He told her it was from his emergency kit, and that he wasn't stupid enough to smoke. Linda was pleased with this answer, and lit the torch. The lively flame flickered it every direction, happy to have been reborn. It cast deformed shadows against the ground and wall as they moved forward. Kendra was glad for the warmth of the torch, but she was able to see perfectly well without it.

"You may feel a little strange the farther into the cave we get. Don't worry, it's just the sensation you get as you pass through the barriers." She said, handing the lighter back. They kept moving forward, a smile coming to Linda's lips every time she felt someone shudder behind her. The barriers had no effect on her, since she had been the one to put them up in the first place. Deeper and deeper into the cave they roamed until they came to a small, circular room. The walls were too smooth to be natural, but there was some small amount of magic that radiated from them. The room was just as dark as the tunnel before them, and the flame from the torch did nothing to dispel the darkness. Tipping the torch over and putting it out in the dirt, she slipped the torch into a small, metal look on the wall. She summoned Kendra forward.

"What is it?" Kendra asked.

"Would you mind doing me a favor?" Linda asked with a sly smile.

"Depends." Kendra said. Linda giggled quietly.

"No need to worry. I can usually do this myself, but I thought it would be interesting for you. Put your hand against the wall." Linda said. Kendra hesitated. She wasn't sure why she was being told to but her hand against the wall. There might have been a prehistoric spider that was waiting for her to put her hand in front of it's poisonous mouth, or a trap that would keep her bound to the wall forever. Gulping, Kendra placed her palm flat against the wall. Something thin, rough and vine-like wrapped around each of her fingers. She screamed, but was unable to pull her hand away.

"What's going on?" Seth demanded, grabbing his sister's arm. Linda shook her head, holding him back.

"I promise you that she is in no danger. Nothing will hurt her, now watch. See, she's already calming down." It was true, Kendra had stopped struggling. Instead of looking panic stricken, she looked ecstatic. She giggled to herself as a soft blue glow began to emit from the wall. The blue glow was stretching along the length of what looked like many vines, the very tip of the vines taking what magical energy she was offering with her revitalizing touch. Seth, Warren and Grandpa watched in awe as the vines that were connected to Kendra's hand grew thicker towards the center of the ceiling. It was a beautiful sight as the entire room was bathed in the blue light.

"What are those things? There's so many." Seth asked in a hushed whisper. Linda let him go, but kept her hands on his shoulders.

"Those are the roots of a Lesser Tree. When a magical being, like me, or someone like your sister touches the walls of this room, the roots latch on and use the magic to light up. The Lesser Tree is above us, that's why the roots are so thick on the ceiling." She said.

"I never thought I'd live to see the day when I could watch someone light up a Lesser tree." Warren breathed. Linda walked over to Kendra and took her hand from the wall. The small ends of the roots flailed and reached for the girl's hand, then dug themselves into the wall when they found that they could not reach her. Kendra looked dazed, but there was a smile on her face.

"That was amazing." She said.

"I know." Linda grinned.

"I want to try." Seth ran over to the wall where Kendra had stood and placed his hand on the wall. He was expecting them to latch on like they had with his sister, but he was surprise to see that the root shied away from his touch. The light dimmed greatly, and the roots retreated even farther. Seth frowned, his hand being jerked away by Grandpa before more damage could be done. Linda frowned.

"That was strange." She said, touching the wall with her own hand. The roots latched onto her within seconds, the glowing becoming even brighter than before. When she moved away, the lights remained. Seth held his hand to his chest, frowning.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know that was going to happen." He said with honest regret. Linda put a hand on his head.

"Do not apologize. I knew that you were one with the darkness, but I did not think that it would affect the Tree in such a way. You are not evil, and so they should not have reacted so." She sounded angry at the tree. Seth lowered his gaze to the floor, but Linda lifted his chin, "Do I have to make you smile?"

"No." Seth knew she was trying to cheer him up, but he was feeling uncomfortable with himself. When Linda began to lead them up a curved, stone staircase that was built into a slanted tunnel, he did well to avoid touching the walls with any part of his body. They went up the stairs in single file until they reached yet another room. This one was much bigger and held a sight more spectacular than the roots below. In the middle of the room stood a tree that Seth and Kendra recalled seeing a sketch of in the journal back at Fablehaven. They gasped and awed, as well as Warren and Grandpa. Linda crossed her arms and smirked.

"There, my friends, is that you have been waiting for. Feast your eyes on one of the many Lesser Trees that inhabit the earth," Linda spoke with pride and wonder, even if the sight was common for her. "Every manner of magical being, including myself, draws from the magic reserved in these trees. Of course, it's not nearly as big or bright as the Tree of Life."

Kendra was snapped from her trance, her blue-tinted face turning towards Linda.

"What's the Tree of Life?" She asked.

"It's the ultimate source of magical power. The roots of this Lesser Tree are connected to the Tree of Life, or Balistair as we magical beings call it. Without these Lesser Trees, those of us who are far from the Tree of Life would have very little to draw off of." She said. Seth gave her a confused look, "Let me try to find a way to explain this. Without lakes and rivers, the states in the middle of the US would get no water. The lakes and rivers are the Lesser Trees and the roots that connect them to Balistair, which is like the ocean."

"Do you know where the Tree of Life is?" Seth asked.

"No one knows," Warren spoke up, "It's a closely guarded secret between the cranky old fogies that are still alive."

"So without the Tree of Life, no one would have magic?" Kendra asked.

"It's hard to say. There has ever been a time when the magic inside these trees has dwindled, and I highly doubt there will ever come a time like that." Grandpa said.

"Let's not worry ourselves over it. If you all would like, you can step closer." Linda suggested.

"Can we?" Seth asked Grandpa.

"I know I am, and I don't have to ask permission." Warren said, wandering into the room. He was forced to step between the glowing roots as he made his way to the fifteen-foot tall tree. The bubble-like compartments of the tree pulsated the same color blue as the roots, fading from a white to a night-blue every few seconds. The roots were alive as well, sometimes twitching when Warren stepped on one of the thinner roots. Grandpa and Kendra stepped forward as well, making their way towards the twisted trunk. Linda was followed for about five feet before Seth called out in frustration.

"Hey, what's the deal?" He demanded. Everyone turned and stopped picking their way between the roots, watching as Seth pushed against an invisible wall. He appeared to be pressing his face against a window, but he was unable to pass into the room. Linda frowned and ran over. She grabbed Seth's arm, but it was like trying to pull him through a hard, taut net. Even with Linda's help, he was unable to enter.

"Seth, I can't apologize enough for this. I appears the Lesser Tree doesn't want you near it." She said with a frown.

"What? Why not?" He asked, his face falling. Kendra ran back over.

"It can't be because he's a shadow charmer." She accused. Linda lifted her hands in defense.

"This isn't my fault, Kendra. If I were the Tree, I'd let him pass. But I'm not, so he has to stay here. I'm sorry." She said. Seth kicked at the invisible barrier, crossing his arms.

"I can't pass because the stupid tree doesn't like me?" He muttered grudgingly. Linda made to apologize again, but a medium sized root flicked out at Seth and shoved his legs out from behind him. Seth feel onto his bottom, groaning. Linda and Kendra laughed.

"I wouldn't call it stupid, Seth. Without it, you wouldn't be a shadow charmer." Kendra said. Linda smiled.

"She's right, you know." Linda said. Kendra straightened herself smugly. Seth propped himself up on an elbow and rubbed his head.

"This is so unfair." He whined.

"I'm truly sorry, Seth. I promise that when we get back to the cabin, I'll do something extra special with you. Just you and me, so you don't feel left out." Linda promised. She stuck her pinky out, and Seth eyed it. He felt he was too old to pinky promise anymore, but he wound his own digit around hers.

"Fine." He grumbled, sitting against the wall. Linda felt terribly that Seth was forced to be left out, but she couldn't negate the protections that the Lesser Tree put up itself. So the four wandered over to the tree. Seth watched from the far away staircase, his stomach bubbling angrily. He hated that Kendra was able to do everything because she was fairykind, which also dubbed her a being of light. Seth had been told many times that he wasn't evil because he was a shadow charmer, just that he was able to befriend darker creatures, as well as speak their language and hide in the shadows. He couldn't imagine himself harming anyone, let alone a magical tree.

He sniffed once and wiped his nose on the sleeve of his coat, eyes narrowed. He saw Kendra and Linda touching the tree, causing a sudden flash of brilliant, white light. A half-second later, there was a violent tremor and explosion.

Seth jumped to his feet as smoky debris sprang up from behind the Lesser Tree. The roots began to shrivel and retract into the tree, the glow all but completely gone. The room had gone frighteningly dark, but the sound of screames urged Seth to try his hardest to get passed the barrier. Taking many steps back, he ran full speed at the barrier. It gave away like wet tissue paper, and he crumpled to the ground. With stinging elbows, he rushed blindly to the center of the room.

"Kendra? Grandpa?" He called. The tremor continued, and it was soon accompanied by the sound of cracking rock. The ceiling was going to cave in! Desperate to find his sister and the others, Seth shouted even louder. He felt around, trying to find his way to the tree. His foot shuffled against barren ground. There were no roots to guide him, only the sound of angry and frightened voices. Then, someone grabbed him. Seth struggled violently to rid himself of the grabber.

"Seth, it's me." It was Warren. Seth wished he could see in the dark just to be sure, but he settled with grabbed his face. Warren gasped when a pair of fingers drifted up his nose. Seth jerked his hand back.

"Sorry. Where are the others?" He asked.

"I don't know, I can't see a thing." Warren said. He said something under his breath, grabbing Seth's shoulders. "We need to find them."

"Good idea, but how do we find people in the dark?" Seth asked.

"No need to find me, I'm right here." Kendra suddenly said from behind them. Seth whipped around, but he only saw darkness.

"Kendra! Are you able to find Linda and Stan?" Warren asked anxiously. Kendra was silent for a moment, then cried out.

"Linda! Someone has her!" Kendra ran off, though the other two wouldn't have been able to tell if her footfalls hadn't told them. "Let go of her!"

The trembling stopped suddenly, then many things happened at once; light flashed from the lesser tree, someone hissed and screamed, the tree was severed, and then darkness threatened to descend upon them again. If it wasn't for the feeble glow of the Lesser Tree, Seth and Warren wouldn't have been able to find Kendra.

When they finally reached her, they saw that she was kneeling beside Linda. The woman was badly bloodied, and her eyes were closed. It didn't appear as if she were breathing. Kendra sobbed once and took Linda's hand. A small, golden spark leapt between them, but nothing else.

"Kendra." He put a hand on her shoulder, feeling them shake even more. Under the ever dimming glow of the fallen Lesser Tree, it was hard to believe that Linda was gone. She looked as if she were simply asleep, or that she might be playing a cruel trick on them. He hoped that she would jump up and shout 'Got you!', but she remained on the ground. Grandpa Sorenson limped up to them, leaning against Seth.

"She's not dead." He said. Warren and Kendra turned their eyes to the man, "She's just knocked out."

"She'll be okay?" Kendra asked. Warren let out a long sigh before lifting Linda's limp body.

"Linda will be perfectly fine, but I want to know what happened." Warren said serious, his eyes going to everyone. Seth shrugged and Kendra shook her head, but Grandpa looked as if he wanted to share a dark secret with everyone.

"I'm not sure what happened, myself. The room went dark after something crashed through the wall, then I heard Kendra screaming for someone to let Linda go. When the light flashed, I saw someone in a cloak drop Linda to the ground. That's when the tree was severed. I tried to chase the cloaked figure through the hole, but they vanished before I could get too far." He said. Kendra dried her eyes.

"You don't know who it was?" She asked. Grandpa shook his head.

"No, I can't say that I saw a face. Just a cloak and feet." He said. Seth looked to the tree and stepped over to it. He wanted to touch it, but he feared what might happen if he did. Clenching his fist, he kicked at a thick root. He felt bad that he couldn't have been there faster, but he blamed the Lesser Tree for having kept him back.

"Why did she pass out?" He managed to ask through clenched teeth.

"We don't know how it happens, but the protectors of the Lesser Trees form a bond with it. When the tree was brought down, it affected Linda physically. The tree will die now that it's separated from the roots, but Linda will be fine." Grandpa said.

"We need to take her back with us." Warren said. "Whoever attacked had something against her, and I don't want to leave her here in this state."

"We can't bring her to Fablehaven, Warren. If she find out that it's a secret preserve-"

"Will you forget about that for one second?" Warren shouted. Grandpa was taken aback, but he kept his cool. "She's hurt, and it's not safe here. Whoever attacked the Tree will come back for her, I know it."

"She might not even find out that Fablehaven is secret." Seth said as he made his way back over.

"Grandpa, please." Kendra begged, "We can't leave her here."

"Linda has been a distant friend of mine, but she has been one of the most loyal. Leaving her here without care is a bad idea, since she won't wake willingly for many days." Grandpa sighed heavily. "We will bring her home, but we must hurry. If the attack was so willing to attack the Lesser Tree, then we wouldn't want him to follow us to Fablehaven. Who knows what damage he could cause there."


	5. Chapter Five

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Fablehaven. I've already listed what I own in the previous chapters.**

**I want to apologize is this chapter doesn't flow as well as the others. I was highly and mercilessly distracted by my three cousins, who don't seem to understand English as well as I assumed. I also want to apologize if Warren is moody again. I'm trying to make him as 'chipper' and witty as he usually is. I hope bringing back old characters is a good idea. Some of them are just too good to pass up. So I hope you'll forgive me for a less than appetizing chapter, if your opinion of this chapter is that it was less than appetizing. Enjoy~

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**Chapter Five;  
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The ride back to Fablehaven was a tense one. Grandpa had called Grandma from his cell phone to tell her about everything that had happened. This would have normally been a bad idea, but he felt it was too urgent a matter to concern himself with the possibility of what he said reaching other ears. He informed Kendra, Seth and Warren that nothing strange had been happening back at home, and that caused them to grow even more suspicious. Few words were exchanged between them, though it helped that Linda was unconscious in the back of the SUV. Warren looked back often to be sure she was comfortable, since he seemed that he was highly worried for her. Kendra would ask him how she was, but he neither responded or took his eyes away.

"After much consideration, I have decided to call in a few of our dearest friends." Grandpa said once they were close to Fablehaven.

"Who?" Seth was too tired to think straight.

"Coulter and Tanu?" Kendra asked hopefully. Grandpa nodded.

"They are the only ones I can think of trusting this problem to, other than ourselves." He admitted. Kendra nodded. She reluctantly admitted that she had missed Coulter's stiff, almost-sexiest ways, and willing agreed that she had missed Tanu's soft-spoken kindness. Knowing that she would see them again made her happy, but not enough that it would cause her to forget her concern for Linda. The entire ride back, she tossed and turned in the back of the SUV, muttering things that no one could understand. She sometimes whimpered and whispered their names, Warren's more-so than anyone else's. It had caused him to blush the first few times, but his head snapped dangerously fast whenever he heard it.

Pulling up to the gate, they were greeted by Dale on the other side. He unlocked the gate and they bumped up the drive way, Dale urging them to drive forward without him. Grandpa stopped the SUV in front of the house, where Grandma rushed to meet them. She hugged Grandpa tight, then did the same with the other three. Warren smiled weakly before opening the back of the SUV to pull Linda out. Grandma gasped.

"Oh, the poor dear. Did you have any idea this was going to happen?" She asked with concern.

"None what so ever." Warren said, "They jumped us when we least expected it, the spineless coward."

Grandma gave Warren a warning look. "It will be best if she sleeps in your cabin, Warren." Grandpa said.

"Should I take her there now?" He asked weakly.

"Yes. Make sure she's comfortable, and be careful in the forest. Bring Hugo if you must." Grandpa said. Warren said nothing as he made his way around the side of the main house, disappearing into the backyard. Grandma Sorenson hugged Seth and Kendra one more time, giving them each a loving look.

"Let's get inside, it's dark." She said, ushering them inside. It felt good to be back home, but Seth wanted to get right to business.

"Do we know who attacked us?" He asked without hesitation.

"Let's not talk about it now. You two head to bed, and we'll talk as soon as Coulter and Tanu arrive." Grandma said. Kendra was curious to find things out as well, but she knew it was useless to argue with her grandparents. Seth was a little more stubborn than that, but he was convinced into going to their room. They both made their way up the stairs and into the attic-bedroom, Kendra closing the door behind them. Seth plopped into his bed, kicking his shoes off.

"Do you think Linda will be okay?" He asked, putting his hands under his pillow. Kendra sat on the edge of her bed across from him, looking to the wooden floor.

"Grandpa and Warren are sure that she's going to be okay. I think she just needs some rest." She said. Silence formed between them until Seth quietly spoke again.

"I'm not evil." He said. Kendra frowned at him in confusion.

"What?"

"I'm not evil," Seth sat up. "Even if that tree thought I was, I'm not evil."

"We've been over this, Seth. Everyone knows that you're not evil, but the tree is just like some of the places here on Fablehaven. Beings of darkness aren't allowed in certain places, but that doesn't mean they're evil." She said. Seth scoffed and turned his head away.

"Didn't you see how those stupid roots acted when I touched the wall? They were scared of me, like I was going to hurt them. I'd never do that. Never." Seth's eyes began to well, so he turned his back to Kendra. She placed herself on his bed and hugged him. He pushed her away once, but allowed her to put an arm around him when she tried again.

"Seth, there's nothing wrong with you." She tried to assure him, but it only caused him to cry harder into his hands.

"I'm scare myself sometimes, Kendra. I have weird dreams. Dreams that would change how you would look at me, and they scare me. I can't sleep sometimes, and I question whether or not you guys are safe with me here." He said, sniffling. Hearing him say such things made tears spring to Kendra's eyes.

"No matter what dark powers you have, you'll never be truly evil. You're a pain sometimes, but you could never really hurt anyone. Just stop and think about all of the good things you've done, and you'll realize it too." She said. Seth used the sleeve of his shirt to dry his face before looking at her. He shoved her arm off of his shoulder once he was calm.

"I'm going to sleep." He said, leaning over his bed to flip on the Snoopy shaped nightlight. Kendra was worried for him, but she slipped off of his bed.

"Good night." She said. When he said nothing in return, she decided to change into her nightgown. She snuggled under her covers after and fell asleep instantly. Seth remained in a state between alertness and sleep. When he finally drifted into a nearly peaceful slumber, he swore that he had heard someone call his name.

*** * ***

Tanu and Coulter didn't arrive until lunch the next day, both looking as confused and concerned as everyone else. Coulter occupied the long table in the central room of Warren's cabin, as well as Kendra, Seth, Grandpa, Grandma and Warren. Tanu sat on the edge of the been on which Linda quietly rested, his bulky satchel on his lap. A plate of egg-salad sandwiches sat beside a pitcher of strawberry lemonade, but it took some coaxing from Grandma to get everyone eating. One the crumbs had been dusted away and throats cleared with chilled sips of the lemonade, Grandpa began their meeting.

"I'm sorry that I called you both on such short notice, but I felt that your opinions would help us all in figuring this sudden problem out." He started.

"The problem being..?" Coulter prompted.

"That we don't know what the problem is. I've given you both the basics of what had occurred while we were at the Lesser Tree, but there's not much that we can work off of." Grandpa said, gripping his glass.

"I can tell you this much: Someone with enough guts to sever a Lesser Tree must have the power to back it up." Coulter snorted, crumbling a stray piece of toasted bread between his thumb and forefinger.

"That's what concerns me. Who could possibly have enough power to break into a sanctuary as guarded as the caves of a Lesser Tree? What worries me even more is the fact that this mystery attacker may destroy the other Lesser Trees," Grandpa shook his head. "The thing is, we can't think of what destroying the Lesser Trees would accomplish."

"Linda said that the Lesser Trees were like lakes, in that they were able to distribute magic across the world," Kendra started slowly, forming her thoughts as she spoke, "If all of the Lesser Trees are severed and lose their powers, wouldn't that mean that the Tree of Life would hold more magic than if the Lesser Trees were still attached?"

Grandma and Grandpa exchanged thoughtful looks, then nodded. "That could very well be it, Kendra! But we still have yet to figure out how that would benefit our attacker."

"Why do we care about that? Wouldn't it make things a lot easier if we just found the other Lesser Trees and protected them?" Seth asked.

"Can't." Warren grunted, running a finger along the edge of his glass. It created a low note that added to the somber mood, "Linda's the only protector we know, and she only knows the location of one Tree."

"So we can't find out where the other ones are?" Kendra asked, frowning. The idea Seth had offered sounded simple enough, but it had some promise to it. Grandma shook her head.

"Even amongst the protectors, it is a closely guarded secret. In case one protector turns out to be corrupt, it is safer that they only know of their tree." She said. Kendra lowered her eyes, and a voiceless silence followed. The only sound they heard was the gentle tinkling of Tanu's potion vials. Seth watched the large Samoan looked over each of the vials, debating whether or not he should go over and offer his assistance. It wasn't often that Tanu's potions failed, but it seemed that Linda was a difficult case.

"You said that there's no way Linda could know where the other Trees are, right?" Seth asked, his brows coming together.

"That's right." Grandpa nodded.

"Is there a chance that she knows who the other protectors are?" He asked, "Like an association or something?"

"Now that you mention it, that's a definite possibility." Grandma said. "If Linda can find and warn them, then there may be a chance that we can stop your attacker."

"You've done an excellent job, Seth." Grandpa praised.

"That's using your noggin." Coulter nodded his approval. Even Kendra was smiling at him, and he did nothing to hide his pride. Warren coughed and brought everyone's attention towards him.

"Not to rain on everyone's parade, but Linda's still unconscious," He pointed out. The smiles faded as all eyes went to Linda and Tanu. Tanu was letting the liquid of a potion drop between Linda's lips. "And unless she has some sort of prophetic dream, we're all done for."

"Has anything elicited a reaction?" Coulter asked. Tanu sighed and swiped his forehead, shaking his head in defeat.

"Nothing. I know that you told us she's a dragon, but I was sure that her human form would allow the potions to work." He said. He saw the looks of confusion on Seth and Kendra's face and elaborated, "My potions work better on mortals. I need certain ingredients that will weaken the natural defends of dragons before the cure will be able to work. Even then, I don't think something as simple as a potion will wake her."

"Why not?" Warren asked.

"Call it a potion-maker's intuition, but I know when my potions work and fail. It's almost as bad as when you were in your catatonic state, except Linda is completely unconscious. Nothing I did worked on you. I fear she may be in this magical coma for a while." Tanu said sadly. Warren gripped the edge of the table, his jaw squared and eyes blazing.

"There has to be a way! I was cured when Seth removed the nail from the revenant's neck, so there has to be a way to wake her up." He insisted strongly. Kendra lowered her head some.

"I have an idea." She said. Her face was ever so slightly red, as if she were embarrassed. Warren's eyes flicked over to her.

"What?"

"I know it will seem like a ridiculous idea, but this sort of reminds me of those movies with the princess that falls asleep because of a curse. Maybe, and don't laugh at me, she needs to be kissed awake?" She suggested, clearing her throat several times. Seth coughed into his lemonade.

"You are such a girl." He said. Kendra glared, her face still red. Grandpa and Grandma were whispering to each other.

"Seeing as how we have no other ideas to work on, I think we should try Kendra's idea." Grandma said. There was something about her expression that told Kendra that she was greatly amused by the notion of everyone but herself and Kendra having to kiss Linda. Grandpa didn't seem entirely thrilled, however.

He, Coulter and Tanu were the first three to attempt the idea, but nothing had happened. None of them reacted immaturely, since they knew it was for Linda's sake. Warren and Seth, on the other hand, were acting as if it were a dare that they were reluctant in performing. They stood by the bed, telling each other to go first.

"You do it, you're older." Seth said. Warren gave him a look, shoving him.

"You like her." Warren said. Seth's jaw dropped, and he went just as red as Kendra had before.

"I do not." He sputtered. Grandpa sighed and rubbed at his temples, eyes closed.

"Can you two get this over with?" He asked impatiently. Grandma smiled wide, a smile that clearly said that she wished she had a camera of some sort with her. Seth and Warren shared a long, challenging glare with each other until Seth looked to Linda. He pulled at the collar of his shirt nervously.

"I guess she'll think I'm a hero if I wake her up." He said. Warren raised a brow.

"I changed my mind, I want to do it before you do." He said. Before Warren had a chance to lean down, Seth had quickly pecked Linda on the lips. Linda neither shifted nor rose, the disappointment in the air thickening.

"You're our last chance, Warren." Tanu urged.

"I hope your breath doesn't stink badly enough to knock her out again." Coulter said. Now that Warren was the last one to kiss Linda, and was closer in age to her than anyone else, everyone thought it would be funny to tease him.

Warren shoved his hands into his pockets and hunched his shoulders, leaning closer to Linda's face. He felt her shallow breaths on his lips before kissing her, and he hoped deeply that his efforts weren't in vain. He lingered there for a few seconds, and everyone grew hushed. They waited and hoped, but Linda remained unconscious. Warren stood straight, all embarrassment washed away with his disappointment. He kicked a leg of the bed and sat back down at the table. No one spoke for the longest time, though whether it was out of awkwardness or the need to think, no one knew.

"She's a dragon," Tanu started the conversation again, "Perhaps only another dragon can cure her?"

"I sincerely hope that you're right. Our ideas are few and our time is growing short. Any idea we have if a good one, 'less it fails." Grandpa sighed. Grandma put a hand on his back and rubbed it lightly, her eyes on the table.

"Am I the only one here who knows about how dangerous dragons can be?" Coulter asked. Kendra shook her head vigorously and pointed to Linda.

"She's not mean at all." She said, jumping to the unconscious woman's defense.

"Her human state has humbled her, and she's clearly interacted with more humans than she has with dragons. Once around others of her species, I'm sure she wouldn't seem as nice." Coulter said. Kendra fumed.

"She's not the only nice dragon, and you know it." She insisted. Coulter lifted his brows.

"You aren't seriously considering your fairy-dragon friend, are you?" He asked, his voice hinting at a laugh.

"Raxtus is the only other dragon that we know, Coulter." Grandpa spoke before Kendra had a chance to retort, "Plus his powers may very well help us. If contacting him and having him wake Linda will help, then we mustn't laugh at the idea."

"I highly doubt Warren as room for a dragon."

"I'll make room." Warren mumbled. Coulter shrugged.

"It's settled, then. Kendra and I will find a way to contact Raxtus, while Seth and Ruth find other ways. If Raxtus can't wake her up or come to us, then we'll need as many alternates as we can come up with." With that settled and over with, everyone rose.

The table was cleaned, but Warren remained there. He clung to his still full glass of lemonade, barely noticing as everyone filed out of his cabin. He watched, but it was as if he were watching them from under the rippling surface of the ocean. While no one noticed, Warren was suffering. Deep inside his chest, guilt clenched at his heart. He knew that it was his fault that Linda was unconscious, and he found it hard to look at her. If he hadn't challenged her to the fight and won, she wouldn't have had to fulfill her end of the bet. Warren clenched his fist, shattering the glass he held. Jumping up in surprise, he hurried to find a hand towel. Blood trickled from his lacerated palm, but he didn't acknowledge the pain. He pressed a clean towel to his palm to stop the bleeding, letting lemonade stain the floor. He stared with his brows knit closely together, lips turned down into a frown as he was hit with a strong sense of déjà vu.

Many years ago, while under Linda's apprenticeship, he had shattered a drinking glass in the kitchen of her own cabin. He had taken a long spear from her room and had tried to play with it in what he had thought to be the spacious kitchen, but he hadn't seen the glass of orange juice sitting on the counter until he had knocked it over. The glass had shattered loudly, and he had heard her running down the stairs. Warren recalled tossing the spear aside to clean the jagged pieces, but it was too late. Linda saw the spear and broken glass, and had done enough math to figure out that Warren had done something he wasn't supposed to. She didn't get angry. All she did was get on her knees to pick the glass up.

Warren tried to pick it up before her. They had reached for the same piece of glass, but he had been quicker. Grabbing the glass, he accidentally cut Linda on her palm. He winched when he remembered how much blood she had lost, and how bad he had felt when she stormed off to heal her wound. It certainly wasn't the first time he had caused her harm, and it wasn't the last. Warren was tempted to kick something after having relived the memory, but he forced himself to breath. He had caused this mess, and he was going to help fix it.

Tossing the bloodied towel away and bandaging himself up, he found yet another towel that he used to soak up the lemonade and pick up the glass. He tossed it with the other in a pile of dirtied clothes. Dragging a chair over to the bed, Warren sank into it. He ran a hand through his dark hair, eying Linda slowly.

"I'm going to try my hardest, Linda. I owe you for all the pain I caused before. Please, I hope you can forgive me." He said, putting his good hand to her face. Tanu had managed to cure all of her flesh wounds, but that was the most he was able to accomplish. Before they had arrived at the mountains, Warren had almost forgotten how beautiful he had thought she was. He still felt that she was pretty, but there was a subtle honesty to his feelings now. His teenage hormones had prevented him from really feeling for her, but he had aged and matured since then. He was still dubbed rather rambunctious and knew that his youth might cause others to not take him seriously, but his commitments to Linda were true. He wasn't going to quit until she was conscious, no matter how bad the situation appeared.

Leaning closer for a second time, Warren kissed Linda's cheek. He smiled to himself, though he wished he could see her reaction. He wondered if she would have smiled at the gesture, or if she would have gotten angry. Either way, it wasn't bound to matter. Linda was a thousand-year-old dragon, he was a mortal man in his mid-twenties. Any hopes he had of his feelings mattering to her were dashed and burned. Shaking his head, Warren rose. He left the chair where it was and walked out into the cool arms of night. Climbing up a near by tree, he rested along a thick branch and let fatigue lull him to sleep.


	6. Chapter Six

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Fablehaven, do you think I'd be sitting here making fan fictions? No.. I don't own Fablehaven.**

***Huff... huff...* I am SO sorry that it's taken me this long to put up this chapter. I was having serious writer's block, and my confidence in this story was dwindling. I had a feeling that my last two chapters were terrible, but they weren't all bad. I'm hoping this one was better. I love Raxtus! He's so adorable. I'm sorry if some people are out of character. Geh... I've been screwing up, but I'll try to make it better. Please leave me reviews. I love hearing what you guys have to say, good or bad. Enjoy~

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**Chapter Six;  
**

While most dragons loathed flying in the rain, Raxtus was more than eager to take flight. From the wide maw of his lair, he observed the shimmering blanket of rain that drew ever closer. His nostrils flaring, the platinum dragon could smell damp rock from afar. He gave an anxious shudder, his overlapping scales rippling as he shifted from one clawed foot to another. His tail flicked, small frame bunching up tightly enough that he looked even smaller than before. He waited patiently, watching the rain close the inches of distance between them. Once he was sure that it had come close enough, he darted from the edge of his lair. As his sleek body came in contact with the wall of rain, he vanished. Flying in the rain was an enjoyable hobby, but he preferred to do it without others knowing.

Raxtus enjoyed the feel of the rain dripping between his scales, the pitter-pattering of the thick droplets making his body vibrate. With his eyes closed and wings spread as wide as they could possibly go, he imagined that he was really flying to a far away place. He imagined warm deserts and frigid tundras, cool waterfalls and grassy plains. Instead of flying through the ever constant fall of the rain, he pretended to be frolicking through the spray of a waterfall that easily towered over Thronis, the nearly sixty-foot giant that lived atop Stormcrag. Raxtus snickered at the thought, dragging his wings closer to his streamlined body.

He tilted his head down, his body suddenly rocketing towards the ground. He opened his eyes, seeing that he was a little closer than he had thought. With a confident snort, he continued to plummet to the ground, where the uneven terrain threatened to mangle him. Raxtus knew that he would survive, since this was his favorite trick. He had done it many times, and each time he had pulled upwards just before crashing. It gave him a small thrill to know that his skills in flying were superb enough that he could perform such a stunt. With the ground less than thirty feet away, Raxtus began to twist his body in a way that would shove him in the opposite direction and away from danger. He was about to fling himself up when a sudden roar shook the very air around him.

Faltering greatly, Raxtus met the ground with a grunt. His scales rung against the rocks, his body sliding across the ground. He felt his long tail fold underneath him, and his neck beat to avoid having his head slammed against the ground again. When he skidded to a stop, he remained still. The pain was unbearable, the air having been knocked clean from his lungs. He gasped for a moment, his flanks heaving. He got his breath back a few seconds later, and with it he forced himself to rise. Shaking his body, Raxtus rid himself of the dirt that had lodged itself between his scales. It had been quite a terrifying fall, but it was the roar that had shaken him.

It wasn't even day (or ever) that his father called for him. Even thought Raxtus' powers in healing had grown to more than just plants, his father still seemed rather reluctant in acknowledging him as more than a disappointment. To hear his roar and know that it was aimed at him frightened Raxtus, but he took off into the air to find his father's lair. It wasn't hard to find the highest peak in Wyrmroost, but he was stalling. When he did spot the opening to Celebrant's lair, he couldn't stop himself. He swooped down and settled onto the rocky shelf, peering into the cave as he became visible.

It was deep, but he could make out red highlights against the otherwise oily rock. Raxtus only recalled being inside his father's lair once, but the memory was foggy. Slowly stepping in, he took an immediate left and started down the large tunnel. The red on the walls was growing ruddier, and he could feel warmth radiating from inside. Not soon after, he found himself inside a wide cavern. It was impressively high and wide, with enough space for a small dragon like Raxtus to fly freely in. Wide, gold bowls held large flames, the bowls lined up on tow sides to create a pathway to the very end of the cavern. Jewels, piles of armor, bones and many other things took up the nearest half, while Celebrant took up the other half. Raxtus gulped and came forward at a steady pace.

Celebrant lifted his glimmering head, the reflection of the flame making his silvery armor look red-hot. His large eyes were narrowed slightly. As Raxtus approached, the dragon king pulled his lips back in a snarl. A menacing growl followed after, a sound that nearly paralyzed Raxtus. The magical fear that dragons usually used on humans didn't work on other dragons, but it was by sheer intimidation that Raxtus was rendered nearly immobile. He struggled with the last few steps, keeping his head and eyes low. He didn't dare to speak first, but his father was deathly silent. All he could hear was the crackling of the flames, as well as the rolling of coins as they tumbled from a high pile behind him.

"What," Celebrant started in a low and merciless voice, "is the meaning of this?"

Raxtus stammered, "I don't know what you mean, father."

Celebrant roared again. It was the same as the one Raxtus had heard before, but he was close enough to feel the deep bass rattling his bones, "If you lifted your head for once, you would know what I speak of!"

"I'm sorry, I- Those are astrids!" When Raxtus did lift his head, he was surprised to see that there were at least three astrids hovering above Celebrant's head. They swooped down upon being recognized and perched along Raxtus' back. He had trouble hiding his confusion and excitement, and wondered why they were in Celebrant's lair.

"They decided that it was not a crime to intrude my lair, and have refused to leave. I am unsure as to why they are here, but they seem like the type of pets you would find company in." Celebrant said. Raxtus realized that his father may have insulted him just then, but he ignored it. Instead, he opened his mind to the astrids.

_Greetings, Raxtus. We haven't much time, but Kendra of Fablehaven has sent us to you in order to deliver an important message._

All three astrids spoke at once, their melancholy voices blending into one. Raxtus was excited to know that Kendra had sent a message to him, but he was worried about the not having much time part. Hesitantly glancing to his father, Raxtus debated on whether or not he should speak in front of him. Celebrant saw the look and shook his wings.

"Leave my sight. Take your feathered pets with you." He ordered. Raxtus shook giddily and left the cavern, stopping only when he reached his own lair. The golden astrids followed closely behind, settling onto his back once more. Taking in a deep breath, Raxtus shook the excitement from his body.

"What's the message? Hurry, I can't stand it." He said.

_The details are few, but she has informed us that a dragon in human form has fallen ill. They are desperate and request that you come to Fablehaven as soon as you can. They are unsure on how you can help, but they are under the impression that only a dragon can cure her._

"Who's ill, and how?" Raxtus asked, all excitement washed away by concern.

_Kendra said that the dragon's name was Ethelinda. She appears to be in a coma, or a very deep sleep._

"Ethelinda? The name doesn't sound familiar." Raxtus said, "I wish I could help, but I can't get to Fablehaven without a shrine to appear at."

_Kendra has thought ahead, and begs that you fly to Fablehaven. She is deeply concerned for her friend, and they are unsure on what ails the dragon._

Raxtus lowered his head to the ground and snorted, thinking. Other than flying, healing his was strong suit. While he had plenty of time to practice, it was the fact that he didn't have anything to practice on that prevented him from furthering the skill. He worried that he might not be able to help Ethelinda, let alone figure out what was wrong with her. He lifted his head and looked to the astrids on his back. They stared back at him, as if waiting patiently for an answer.

"I have to try. I haven't flown that far before, and I don't know how to get there by air. Could you lead me?" He asked. As if to answer his question, the astrids lifted themselves into the air. They flew over to his head, flapping in front of his face.

_We will guide you to Fablehaven._

Raxtus rarely felt confidence, and now was no exception. He doubted that he could fly for as long as he thought he would have to, and he doubted even more that he could help the sick dragon. Still, he knew he needed to try. Kendra was counting on him, and he didn't want to let his friend down. With a small wiggle of his tail, he wordlessly jumped into the air. It was still raining, but the astrids didn't seem to mind in the slightest. Their golden feathers were damp and slick, but they flew off without complications. Raxtus followed behind them, powerful wings stroking at the air. He was filled with the joy of flying through the rain again, but there was something growing inside that joy. He knew it wasn't confidence, but it certainly felt familiar. He soon knew it to be determination. He had felt it before eating Navarog, and he felt it occasionally afterward. He was still worried and doubtful, but he was determined to reach Kendra. He wouldn't have known it, but there was a fire in his eyes.

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When he arrived at Fablehaven, he found that he was much more anxious that he thought. His stomach was twisting nervously, and he was clicking the talons on his front claws repeatedly. The astrids didn't appear to be growing tired, but Raxtus felt as if his wings could fall off at any second. He was glad to see the that preserve was coming into view. From his place in the sky, he could see the main house and where the old manor was. He saw the tar pits where Kurisock once resided, the pond, a large red barn and any other areas that he had once been told about. He was eager to visit all of his friends, as well as Shiara. He missed his foster mother, and he was no longer as ashamed of his birth as he once was. There were things he needed to do, however, and he continued to follow the astrids.

"Where is Kendra?" He asked.

_Close._

The astrids stopped and lowered themselves into the trees. Raxtus lingered for a moment, trying to find a clearing where he could land safely. He found a pretty hill that was decorated with vibrant flowers, and so he landed there. He looked around nervously, spotting the astrids in a tree. They looked to them, then turned their faces in a certain directions.

"I have to go that way?" Raxtus asked.

_She waits for you in a cabin, where the dragon is being taken care of._

Raxtus nodded and offered them thanks before he started through the trees. He felt as if he were intruding on territory he didn't belong on, but he reminded himself that he had been invited. He was sure that if he wasn't wanted in Fablehaven, that something would have kept him back. Nothing had slowed his progress, but he was beginning to feel the urge to stall again. He stopped many times to smell a flower or to peek at an animal, and each time he forced himself to go on. He arrived at the cabin several minutes later, folding his wings in close. He stood with his shiny head near the door, but hesitated. He knew that Kendra would recognize him, as well as Warren if he were here. Of course he would be here, the astrids said this was Warren's cabin. Raxtus tapped the door with a claw, waiting.

He heard voices from inside the cabin, then spotted a face as the door opened. The woman there looked nothing like Kendra. The woman looked much older, but he might have been mistaken. The door was quickly closed, bumping into his nose. Raxtus went cross-eyed and shook his head, snorting.

"Ouch. That wasn't very nice at all." He said. The voices stopped, and the door opened again. This time, Kendra was the one to greet him. Raxtus had forgotten how brightly she glowed, and he resisted the need to rub his head against hers. He realized, then, that he had missed his dear friend. Kendra rushed forward and wrapped her arms around his long neck.

"Raxtus! I was worried you didn't get my message." She said, relief evident in her cracking voice. Raxtus rested his head on her shoulder, enjoying how rejuvenating her touch was. He closed his eyes, relishing in the moment. He heard others coming out, so he moved his head away and opened his eyes. There were many people staring at him, some in confusion, others in wonder. Raxtus spotted Warren, noticing that the long hair and beard he had accidentally given him had been shaved and restyled.

"I like my hair now." Warren warmed with a smile.

"I promise I won't ruin it." He said. He recognized most of the people in front of him; he remembered Seth, Tanu and Warren indefinitely, but the other three were mysteries to him. He lowered his head in a slight bow as Kendra introduced them.

"This is my Grandma, Grandpa and Coulter. You know Tanu, Warren and Seth." She said. Raxtus nodded, nudging Seth with his nose.

"You are much taller than I remember." He said. Seth puffed his chest out slightly.

"Just ended my growth spurt." He bragged. Raxtus snorted, ruffling Seth's hair with his warm breath.

"Raxtus," Grandma Sorenson stepped forward, wringing her hands. "Thank you for coming on such short notice. Please, could you take a look at Linda?"

"I'll do my best, but I can't promise anything. I haven't had much practice, so the most I might be able to do is sure a cold." He said. Stepping away, they gave Raxtus room to put his head through the door. It was just snug enough that he had to twist his neck, but he was able to reach the bed, where Linda still remained. He looked her head, his head swing back and forth. Seth wiggled in from the corner of the door, but the others stood outside.

Raxtus hummed slightly, the tip of his nose stopping at Linda's forehead. He felt self-conscious knowing that everyone was listening, and that Seth was watching. He glanced to Seth, "Look away. You're making me all nervous."

"Sorry." Seth lifted his hands and turned. Raxtus made sure he couldn't see, then pressed his nose to Linda's forehead. The moment they made contact, Linda cried out in terrible pain. Raxtus remained calm, but his eyes watered. He hated knowing that his methods caused pain to those that were already suffering, but he needed to know what her sickness was. Dragons didn't suffer from most human illnesses unless they were in human form, but he knew this was no human bug.

"Raxtus, what's going on in there?" Kendra sounded desperate. Raxtus kept his jaws shut, but he felt the others trying to push past him. He refused to budge, his shoulders blocking the way. Seth had even turned and was trying to ask questions, but Linda's screaming was too much for his ears. He screwed his eyes shut and covered his ears. Then, as if someone had unplugged a speaker, the screaming stopped. Seth uncovered his ears and ran over. He gasped. Raxtus pulled his head back, letting everyone rush past. Kendra and Warren crowded around the bed with Seth, their eyes wide.

Linda remained unconscious, but her appearance had been altered slightly. Her skin was no longer pale, but rather a sickly green. Her cheeks and forehead held creases in the shape of scales, but they remained fleshy. Her teeth were sharper and pointed, but the tips were dull. Warren wanted to see her eyes, but he feared that they would look too dragon like for him to bare. Kendra touched the scales lightly, and Linda twitched. Everyone turned their heads to Raxtus.

"What did you do to her?" Accused Warren. Raxtus heard the venom in his voice and pulled his head closer to his shoulders.

"I've never worked with a dragon that was in their human form before, so I may have accidentally brought some of the features from her dragon form to the surface. I'm not sure, but there is a chance that she will look human again by tomorrow morning. Good news is, she's cured!" He said, swaying his head again. He rocked back and forth, still swaying his head, "I did it, Kendra! I healed someone!"

"She's healed, but what was wrong with her?" Tanu asked from inside the cabin. Raxtus' celebration came to a sudden stop. He lowered his head slightly, eyes to the ground.

"Whoever attacked you guys must have known what she was because they used dragonsbane." He said in a quiet tone. Warren's fist clenched, and Tanu shook his head. Kendra recalled Patton telling her about a time he had used dragonsbane to poison Ranticus. She shuddered at the thought, and became very glad that Linda was all right.

"I assume she'll need plenty of rest?" Coulter asked.

"The old one is right. She's also very hungry, and she asked me to tell Warren that he had better take more care of his hand." He said, looking to Warren. The man's face grew red, and he hid his bandaged hand behind his back.

"How could she have told you that?" He asked guilty.

"Ethelinda was able to force herself into a magical coma in order to stop the progression of the poison, but she was completely aware of everything around her. She also told me that she appreciated your attempts at waking her, but she wasn't fond of Stan kissing her. Which one of you is Stan?" Raxtus tilted his head curiously. Grandpa Sorenson muttered something under his breath, and Kendra laughed.

"Even in a coma, she still managed to burn you." Seth laughed as well. Grandma stepped up to Raxtus again and hugged him.

"Thank you, Raxtus. We were beginning to lose hope." She said softly, touching the side of his head. Raxtus turned his head away shyly.

"I know it doesn't seem like it, but I'm blushing." He said. Grandma smiled.

"You are more than welcome to stay here for a few days, if you want." She offered. Raxtus' eyes went back to her in a flash, and he bared his teeth in an attempt at a smile.

"I would love to stay and get to know you all. I watched some of you when you first arrived at Wyrmroost, but I was only able to truly meet Kendra and Warren." He said. Kendra hugged him a second time. Others joined in on the hug, though Warren had a better idea on how to celebrate.

"A group hug, really? Haven't you all heard of parties? That's the way to celebrate!" He said, opening his arms, "Stan?"

Grandpa looked like he was about to seriously decline the idea, but then he grinned. "It's been a while since we've had a real party. Tanu, can you fetch our finest wine? The kids won't be able to drink, of course." He said, giving Seth a look. Seth slumped and growled.

"This is so not fair." He complained. Warren put an arm around him and poked his chest.

"Trust me, kid, you'll be glad you can't party as hard as we can. Whatever you do, don't be too loud in the morning. I'm going to have a headache tomorrow." He said. Kendra smiled. Warren hadn't truly been himself until now, and she was glad to see that everyone was feeling much better about Linda's condition. So as the barrels of wine were rolled to the cabin, Kendra and Seth were forced to go to the main house where they tried their hardest to ignore the rambunctious festivities.


	7. Chapter Seven

**DISCLAIMER: For the seventh time, I do not own Fablehaven.**

**I'm on the seventh chapter, which is a fan fiction record for me. I haven't even written this far in my original stories. Maybe I'm getting my mojo back, eh? I hope so. Hah. I noticed that I write a little better when Linda's awake. Odd, right? Oh, well. I'll try to keep her conscious. Anyway, please leave reviews so I know what you guys think. Danka~

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**Chapter Seven;  
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It was very, unusually quiet. Linda shifted on the bed, rolling to her other side and lifting the pillow from her head. She stretched her bed-sore body out as far as the bed would allow, cracking a single eye open. Having been completely aware that there had been a party outside of the cabin, she was relieved to see that the inside was clear and that the noise had stopped. Throughout the night, she had tossed and turned. She had tried to drown out the noise by covering her head with the pillow, but that had only muffled the cheering and singing. She was tired and felt sick, but she wanted to wake up. Linda knew that they would have urged to rest more, but she doubted that they were in any condition to nag her.

Fully opening both eyes, she sat up and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. The floor was warm thanks to the thick beams of light that poured in through the windows. She wiggled her toes and stood, looking down at herself. She was wearing the clothes she had worn on their trip to the Lesser Tree. She felt a rush of pain as she replayed the sight of the Lesser Tree falling, it's connection with her becoming very weak. Linda felt as if part of her heart and soul had been ripped clean from her body, leaving some part of her empty. She sniffed and rubbed her nose, but refused to cry.

Someone knocked on the door, causing Linda to jump. She hesitated, then realized that it couldn't have been anyone but a trusted friend. She opened the door, squinting at the rush of sunlight. It took a moment for the figures in front of her to become more than black shapes, but she soon saw that it was Seth who had knocked. He looked fully rested and eager, his lips pulled into a grin. He waved to Linda, who waved back sleepily. On each side of the boy stood a satyr. One had redder fur and longer horns than the other, but the distinction was hard to notice when the excess of light made them look equally red.

"How do you feel?" Seth asked. Linda shrugged and ran her tongue over her pointed canines. Raxtus had been right when he said that the dragon like features would fade by morning, except that her teeth were still dangerously sharp and the fleshy scales remained. The color of her skin had returned to normal, and she still felt mostly human.

"I feel hungry." She admitted, covering her stomach with a hand.

"Raxtus told us that last night. Grandma's making breakfast back at the house, and she told me to come get you." He said. One of the satyrs nudged him, almost knocking him forward. Linda lifted a questioning brow.

"And who might these two handsome devils be?" She asked in a playful tone. Seth hid his smile.

"These are my friends, Doren and Newel. They've never seen a dragon before." Seth said. Linda crossed her arms.

"Technically, they still haven't seen a dragon." She stated with a smirk.

"Touché." Doren shook his head sadly.

"A dragon's tongue is as sharp as their claws." Newel, the redder satyr, said. Linda's smile faded to a degree. She put a hand on Seth's shoulder and pulled him aside, speaking in barely a whisper.

"I understand that your friends might have been curious, but I'd rather you keep what I am a secret." She said. Seth frowned.

"I'm sorry, they got it out of me." He said. Doren and Newel exchanged a look.

"We got it out of you?" Newel repeated, looking appalled.

"If I remember right, you were bragging about how you got to kiss her. We didn't get anything out of you." Doren said. Seth shook his hands quickly, one above the other, as Linda turned to face the satyrs, his face red. His signals for them to be quiet were seen but ignored.

"Oh, did he?" Linda asked.

"Oh, yeah." Doren snickered and elbowed Newel, "He was rather proud of himself, wasn't be Newel?"

"All he could talk about was how he kissed you, and how he would do it again if he had a chance." Newel said. Seth's jaw dropped.

"I did not say that!" He objected, his face even redder than before. Linda cleared her throat and looked at him. Seth stepped back, holding his hands up in defense.

"Sorry, kid, but I'm too old for you. Thanks for trying, though." She laughed softly and patted his head. Seth brushed her hand away and glared to the satyrs.

"Maybe next time." Doren winked.

"I'll see you guys later, but don't expect any batteries for the next month." He said. Doren and Newel looked shocked and hurt.

"Hey, now." Newel laughed nervously and hurried after Seth as the boy began to walk away. Linda followed, "We were only joking. He didn't say any of that stuff."

"He was actually very concerned about you," Doren added. Seth shook his head.

"Sorry, guys. We have to head back to the house." Seth looked to Linda, and they took off. Newel and Doren easily kept pace with them, but they were forced to stop when they came to the edge of the yard.

"Don't you hold out on us, Sorenson!" Doren shouted. The satyrs disappeared into the forest just as Seth and Linda stopped. Linda looked pale again, and she had to put a hand on Seth's shoulder to keep from toppling over.

"Great friends." She commented. Seth laughed once.

"Grandpa doesn't think they're a good influence on me." He said. Linda stood straight and regained her color.

"No satyr is. Now, you mentioned food earlier." She said.

"Shall we?" Seth offered his arm to her in a gentlemanly way, and Linda took it in her own. He lead her through the yard and to the main house, where they climbed onto the deck. They passed through the door and into the kitchen, where Kendra, Warren and Grandma Sorenson waited for her. Kendra was already digging into a stack of freshly made pancakes, and Ruth was standing at the stove. Warren, on the other hand, had his head in his hands. His fingertips rubbed at the top of his head, his eyes closed. Seth released his arm from Linda's and ran over to the table, dragging a chair back.

"Really, Seth?" Warren groaned at the noise. Seth stopped and gave a sheepish smile.

"Sorry." He sat down quietly and accepted a plate of pancakes, eating as silently as possible. Grandma smiled to Linda.

"Good morning, dear." She said kindly.

"Morning. Am I right in guessing that you had a little too much fun last night?" She said to Warren. He lifted his head slowly and winced, giving her a dirty look.

"It's your fault." He said.

"That's right, I was the one who suggested the party in the first place. I'm so sorry, Warren." She said, sitting beside him. She made sure that her chair squealed extra loud as she pulled it out. He covered his ears, his head throbbing.

"At least one of us is feeling good." He muttered. Linda shook her head.

"Barely. I'm hungry and weak, not to mention tired." She said accusingly.

"Would you like some pancakes?" Grandma asked. Linda nodded without hesitation, then quickly wolfed down the plate that had been given to her. She was given another plate afterwards, her hunger sated. Warren ate very little, willingly handing over his leftovers.

"You look much better." Kendra said.

"Thanks. I hope I didn't look too freakish last night." She said, touching her face. She still felt the scales, but her teeth were human shaped again. Seth pointed at her with his fork.

"You looked awesome. I wish I could have pointed teeth and scales." He said enviously. Kendra rolled her eyes.

"We were worried you might have not made it through the night," Kendra said. "When you started to scream, everyone panicked."

"I was in a lot of pain last night, but it was the only way to get rid of the poison." She said, Linda's eyes moving to the table. She seemed shaken by the fact that she had almost died. Warren looked to her and put a hand on one of hers, squeezing it lightly. Kendra saw them share weak smiles, but they looked away from each other when Grandpa entered the kitchen. He saw Linda, but he did not smile.

"It's good to see you well again." He said. Linda nodded.

"It feels good to get the poison out." She said, "I hated being in that coma, but it was the only idea I had at the time."

"You mean when the guy attacked you?" Seth asked.

"I'm not sure if it was a man, but whoever it is knew who they were dealing with. He injected the poison into my blood stream, and forcing my body to almost quit was the only way to slow it down. I'm sorry if I worried you all, and I'm sorry I brought you with me." She said, her fist clenching.

"Don't blame yourself," Grandpa said, seating himself. "None of us could have known that we would be attacked, or that the Lesser Tree would be cut down. This is no fault of your own."

"I'm a dragon, one of the most feared and powerful creatures in the world, and I couldn't even protect you guys." Linda said softly, averting her eyes. Grandpa shook her head.

"You may be an old dragon, but you are certainly not the wisest. You don't have to be strong or feared to protect people, and not all people need protecting. We could have easily defended ourselves, and we could have saved you as well. To receive help while in danger does not render one weak or useless." Grandpa said, digging into his own breakfast. Linda looked like she wanted to say otherwise, but the matter had been settled. Seth pushed his plate away.

"Are you going to be able to find the other protectors?" He suddenly asked. Linda lifted her eyes, biting her lower lip.

"Of that, I am unsure. I could certainly try, but it has been far too long since we protectors were last brought together. Most are far too stiff when it comes to the rules, and they may have already stopped considering me as a protector." She said sadly.

"So we've been beat by the people that might help us?" Seth asked. Linda shook her head, face set in a look of hard confidence.

"No, not yet. I will try to contact them tonight." She said, "There are a few things I will need in order to call for them, and that included a large space." She said suggestively.

Grandpa gave her a look and a nod, "As a guest, you may use the yard. I just have to ask that you're sure the others are trustworthy."

"Whether they are or not, it shouldn't entirely matter." Linda said.

"It matters more than you think." Grandpa countered. Linda waved a hand to calm him before he thought she was being inconsiderate of his hospitality.

"What I mean to say is, whoever responds to my call will not physically be here. Plus, they will be unable to track the caller, for safety purposes. We trust each other when it comes to guarding the Lesser Trees, yet we'd rather spill our other secrets to a ravenous snake." She said with a shrug. Grandpa tapped his fork against the edge of his plate.

"You're sure of this?" He asked.

"Never been more sure of anything in my entire life, except that Warren's a light weight." She said. He glared.

"My headache is lessening, but that doesn't give you the right to rib on me." He insisted in a falsely weak and hopeless voice. Like Kendra, Linda rolled her eyes.

"You had better hope that your headache leaves sooner than later because I'm going to need as much help as I can out in the yard." She said, "Can I count on Tanu to help with the ingredients?"

"I'm sure he wouldn't mind." Grandma said from the stove.

"Tanu's really nice. He makes a lot of cool potions that can make you really big, or make you gaseous." Seth said. Linda laughed softly at his boyish gushing.

"I know, I tasted a few." She said.

"Do you know who attacked us?" Grandpa asked. Linda's eyes became glazed as she tried her hardest to remember what had happened, but her eyes became clear a few seconds later.

"No, I can't remember much. There was one thing that I do remember, but I don't think it will prove very helpful." She said, running a finger along the grains of the table.

"I'm sure anything you have to offer will be helpful in the long run." Kendra assured her.

"If you think so, but it seems strange to me. Whoever it was, they smelled really good. I know it's odd that I noticed that, but it was a distinct smell for someone who acted so evilly." She said. Grandpa and Grandma exchanged a look.

"What was the smell?" Grandma asked. Linda scrunched her nose up.

"It was really strong, like someone had put on too much perfume. It almost made me gag, but I suppose flowers and honey aren't as bad as some smells I've experienced." She said.

"It is strange, but it may have been exactly as you described it. It may have been something to cover up the stench of true evil, or it was part of our attacker's means of luring people." Grandpa said.

"Or it could have been a woman." Seth suggested. Kendra and Linda glared, but Grandma remained calm.

"All are good options, but we mustn't jump to conclusions. Linda was disoriented by the sounds of it, so she might be mistaken." She said. Linda nodded.

"That's true, I barely had enough time to truly take in what was happening around me before I was poisoned. It may have been my imagination." She said with a sigh.

"Until we're able to contact the other protectors, I'm not sure we can attempt at identifying our attacker." Grandpa said.

"You don't think it could be the Society, do you?" Kendra tempted. Warren laughed once, holding his head.

"After all we did to stop them, it had better not be." He said. "I don't want to have to show them who they're dealing with again."

"You're in no condition for tough talk." Linda said.

"No, I think we may be dealing with a new evil." Grandpa said. Turning his eyes to Linda, he gave her a faint smile, "You survived the poison and are still with us. As happy as that has made everyone, it also means that you're in danger of being attacked again. While it is not my duty to protect the dragons, you are more than welcome to take refuge here."

"Thank you, Stan. That's very kind of you, but won't that put you all in danger as well?" She asked.

"It's nothing we haven't dealt with before." Coulter huffed as he came into the kitchen. He smoothed a hand over what was left of his hair, standing behind Tanu as he, too, entered. Linda smiled at them.

"I owe you thanks, Tanu. Your attempts may not have worked, but you were kind to try." She said. Tanu became very bashful.

"No thanks is needed." He said.

"I need to thank Raxtus too. Where is he?" Linda asked, standing. Coulter motioned towards the kitchen window.

"He's out there somewhere, probably experiencing the worst headache of his life." He said.

"He's not the only one." Warren complained. Linda made for the kitchen door, but stopped fast to turn and face Tanu.

"I should ask this before I forget. Would you be willing to lend me some ingredients? I need it for when I call the other protectors tonight." She said. Tanu nodded.

"I could help you with that now. I'm sure Raxtus needs to rest." He said. Linda nodded.

"He doesn't come off an grouchy, but I'm sure last night changed that. When I'm ready for help in the yard, I'll summon you." Linda said to everyone in the room. Kendra and Seth nodded. When she and Tanu left, Coulter took a seat beside Warren.

"Is she going to use magic?" Seth asked eagerly.

"I assume so," Coulter said. "She's not very impressive for a dragon."

"Come now, Coulter." Grandma scolded.

"Linda is similar to Raxtus, in that she doesn't believe all dragons were meant to be mean. It's like with us humans. We aren't given the option on whether we want to be male or female." Grandpa said.

"Gender and morals are two completely different things." Coulter snorted. Grandpa hid a smile and shook his head, finishing his breakfast.

"Kendra, maybe you should take your brother to go check on Raxtus?" Grandma suggested.

"Why does she have to take me? You're going to talk about something important, aren't you?" He accused. Kendra stood and grabbed Seth's sleeve, pulling him outside. They jumped off the porch and called for Hugo, who lumbered out from hiding in the forest. He stopped in front of them.

"Hugo play?" He asked, thick voice showing some hint of hope.

"We can play after we check on Raxtus, okay?" Kendra said. Hugo gave a slight on, lifting them both into his arms. The golem seemed to know where the dragon was because he started into the forest without a command. Kendra had loved Hugo the moment she had met him, but she found him growing more interesting now that he had a will of his own. It was like taking care of and raising a big baby, a thought that made her giggle.

Hugo ran at a steady pace, dodging trees and jumping over fallen logs. The spring air smelt crisp and sweet, laced with freshly blooming fruits and flowers. Light filtered through the thin leaves, casting feathery light to the faintly tinted ground. Hugo's large feet left prints in the moss and damp dirt, but he didn't seem to care. Finally, they stopped at the large, silvery mound that was Raxtus. Kendra and Seth jumped free of Hugo's grip, quietly stepping over to the dragon. He appeared asleep, but he shifted when he heard them approaching.

"I can't feel my right wing." He said weakly. Kendra stifled a laugh.

"It looks like you feel asleep on it. Why don't you try getting up?" Kendra asked softly. Raxtus opened his eye slowly, but hissed when he realized how bright it was. He squinted and gave a grunt, forcing himself up from the ground. His side was crusted with dirt and young leaves, so Kendra and Seth brushed it off for him. Raxtus opened his jaws wide and yawned, licking his teeth. His right wing felt prickly as he tried to move it, the sensation growing worse. He settled with folding his left wing in, then did the same with the other when it lost the prickliness.

"I will never do that again," Raxtus said, sticking his forked tongue out. "I have the strangest taste in my mouth now."

"That's what you get for partying with Warren." Kendra said, putting a hand on his head. Raxtus lowered his eyes in shame.

"I thought it would be fun. I've never tasted wine before, but I promise to never drink it again." Raxtus said, shaking his head.

"It's not fair that he was invited and we weren't." Seth crossed his arms.

"Run into a brick wall with your head for five minutes and you'll feel like you were invited." Kendra said. For a moment, it looked like Seth would do just that. He narrowed his eyes.

"Very funny."

"Is Ethelinda feeling well today?" Raxtus asked. Kendra nodded.

"She's looking much better. She wants to thank you for helping her, but there are a few things she needs to do first." She said.

"She's going to summon the other protectors!" Seth said with a jump. Raxtus tilted his head.

"Who?"

"Have you ever heard of The Tree of Life?" Kendra asked.

"You mean Balistair? Sure, who hasn't?" He said. Kendra and Seth looked to each other.

"We didn't until recently. There are these things called Lesser Trees that need protecting. Linda was protecting one of them when we got attacked. She's going to try to summon other protectors to warn them that someone is severing Lesser Trees." Kendra explained.

"Rough," Raxtus shuddered. "Are we going to get to see her summon them?"

"I hope so." Seth said. Raxtus opened his mouth to say something, when all three of them heard Linda shouting their names. Without a word, Raxtus grabbed Seth and Kendra in a front claw, breaking through the leaves above to race to the house. Linda stood amongst the others, hands on her hips.

"I hope you're ready because this is going to take a very long time."


	8. Chapter Eight

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Fablehaven, Brandon Mull does. I own Ethelinda and everything else I make up on my own.**

**This chapter is a little short, sorry. I'm getting slight writer's block, but I'm forcing it to go away. My writer's block is usually at 99%, but it's at least a 20% now. It's not too bad, but it's still there. I hope my writing isn't getting too crappy for you guys. Please leave a review so I know what you guys think about it. Thanks to those who are still reading. I don't want you guys tot think that I'm not grateful for your time. I definitely grateful. Enjoy~

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**Chapter Eight;  
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Seth sprinkled flash powder into one of the large chalk circles that had been expertly drawn on the grass, blowing the remains off of his sweaty fingers. On top of the flash powder, he placed a handful of light green leaves. He had smelt the leaves before, and the mint had cleared his nostrils instantly. He arranged the leaves how Linda had shown him, forming them into a half-circle. More ingredients were added to his circle until Linda approached from the side. She had been checking everyone's work for hours, making corrections after having done her part. She stopped beside Seth and watched as he worked.

"You're doing very good, but your leaves are a little out of place." She said in a quiet voice. The seven circles were far enough apart that they could talk without being overheard, but she didn't want to risk embarrassing Seth. He looked up to her, pulling up a sleeve that had fallen from his elbow.

"Why does everything have to be so perfect?" He asked.

"If there's even a small mistake, I might mess up the summoning." She said, showing him how to rearrange his leaves.

"Does it look good now?" He asked, swiping sweat from his brow. Night had come faster than anyone had expected, so he didn't understand why he was sweating so much.

"Perfect. You did an excellent job, Seth." She patted his shoulder warmly, then left his circle to move over to Coulter's. He too was having trouble, and he seemed none too pleased about being corrected. He griped and complained, but Linda remained as calm as ever. She only smiled at his complaints before moving over to Warren. He saw her approaching and hurriedly made a few errors, waving her over.

"I can't seem to get the pattern." Warren said. Linda walked by with her hands behind her back.

"It looked like you had it just fine before you messed it up." She said with a knowing smile. Warren flushed and fixed it.

Linda made one more round to each circle before clapping her hands together. There was enough room for everyone to stand in the space that the chalk circles formed, so she motioned everyone to gather around her.

"This is going to be so cool." Seth said giddily, standing beside his sister. Linda looked to him serious.

"You must remain calm and silent. Summoning the protectors is a very serious matter, and I cannot have to jeopardizing this meeting." She said. Seth seemed to shrink some.

"Sorry." He mumbled. Linda gave an apologetic smile before lifting her arms. She closed her eyes and began to mutter something in a language that neither Seth nor Kendra understood. The words flowed slowly from her lips, her tongue sometimes flicking against the roof of her mouth. She was amazingly still, save for her eyes and lips. Slowly, her words became very hush. Linda was barely whispering, when the flash powder began to crackle and pop. The air was filled with the pungent smells of the herbs. Seth covered his nose with his sleeve.

Linda uttered the last words of the summoning before stomping a foot onto the ground. Each circle erupted into tall towers of smoke, the flash powder sparkling like clear Christmas lights. Then the smoke and debris began to float back to the ground, and three human figures in each circle formed. Kendra gasped. Each person looked as if they had swallowed one of Tanu's gaseous potions, except that they looked smoky and sparkly. Linda opened her eyes and coughed once, waving some of the smoke that had found its way over to her away.

"Protector Ethelinda." A male voice spoke from behind them. Linda turned and crossed her arms.

"Protector Gerald. It's been while." She said with distaste. The smoky man named Gerald waved what looked like a hand.

"And there's good reason for it. Why have you summoned us?" He asked. Linda's confident look faltered for a moment. She looked scared, almost paralyzed. She opened her mouth, eyes to the ground. When it looked as though she had lost all sense of what she wanted to do, Warren took her hand. She looked to him, his head nodding towards the smoky man. Linda cleared her throat.

"Protector Gerald, I have some bad news." She said. Kendra thought she saw a brow raise.

"Spit it out already." He demanded. Linda flinched.

"I've failed as a protector. Less than a week ago, my friends and I were attacked while observing the Lesser Tree I vowed to protect. In the process, the Lesser Tree was severed and rendered lifeless." She said. Many of the smoky people gasped.

"How could you have let such a terrible thing happen?" Blamed a female to their right. Linda looked to her, gritting her teeth.

"I did not let it happen, I assure you! We were ambushed, and there I was nothing I could do. Our attacker used dragonsbane to poison me, and there was naught my companions could do." She argued. Gerald clicked his tongue and shook his head, waving a scolding finger at her.

"Ethelinda, you are aware that the rules of the protectors states that no one but the protector is allowed to observe the tree." He said. Linda lowered her head again.

"That was my fault." Warren said. Linda shot him a look.

"Warren, be quiet." She hissed. Warren shook his head and stepped forward, confronting Gerald.

"I challenged her to a bet, and she lost. The conditions were that if I won, she would show us the Lesser Tree." He said. The smoky people began to mutter angrily.

"Protector Ethelinda!" Shouted Gerald. Linda went pale, "I thought we had made it very clear that your gambling addiction should not compromise the protection of the Lesser Trees."

"These are friends, I didn't think that they would have caused any harm." She said quietly.

"This is not the first time this has happened, and I see now that we were far too forgiving in giving you a second chance." Gerald said.

"Protector Gerald, please. I summoned you because I felt I should warn you that the person who attacked us may try to attack you as well." Linda said hurriedly. Gerald shook his head and lifted a hand. Any movements that were made by the smoky people were slow and left scents wisps of smoke behind.

"Silence, you traitor. I have heard enough on your lies. All in favor of revoking Ethelinda's protective rights, make yourselves be heard." He said. Many, if not all, of the smoky people shouted their approval. Linda froze, but she was able to speak. Tears pooled in her eyes.

"No, please! I beg you, don't do this. I-" Before she had another moment to finish her plea, the smoke that made the human figures fell to the ground. It formed a pile of ash. Linda stared in horror at what was left in the circles. She had planned on speaking to everyone about the thing that had attacked them, but Gerald had kept her from doing so. She slumped to her knees, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Linda?" Grandpa tempted. Linda ignored him, crawling forward to touched the pile of gray ash.

"This can't be. I've been a protector for so long, but now I'm…" She trailed off, tears streaking her face, "They didn't believe me, and now they're all in danger."

"Linda, stand up." Warren suddenly ordered. Hearing such a rough command made Linda turn her head to him.

"You don't understand, Warren." She struggled to stand, more tears flowing freely from her hurt eyes, "This was my life. I was born to protect things, an I couldn't even do that right."

"You're being a baby." He said. Linda looked like she had been slapped.

"Warren, that's not necessary." Grandpa said. Warren waved him away, putting his hands on Linda's shoulders. His face appeared a little softer now.

"Listen to me. The fact that no one believed us or the threat that the Sphinx posed didn't stop us from trying our hardest to stop him. We kicked butt, we stopped the world from being destroyed, and people are still unaware of what took place. They might not believe you and you may no longer be one of them, but I say we should do what we do best and show people that no one messes with us and gets away without a few broken bones." He said with a grin. Linda smiled some and wiped at her cheeks.

"I think we should do more than break a few bones." She said. Warren patted her on the back.

"That's the spirit! It's about time he had a tough girl on the team." He said. He looked to Kendra, "No offense."

"None taken." She said.

Linda looked to everyone, her frown turning upwards a little. She had looked so terrified and desperate when Gerald had revoked her rights as a protector, but she was beginning to look better already.

"I may not officially be a protector, but I am in heart. I won't sit here and let bad things happen when I know I have friends that will help me to stop it." She said.

"Glad to hear it. Now, all in favor of supporting Linda and helping her to kick evil's butt, let yourselves be heard!" He, along with the others, shouted their own approval. Linda went a little red in the face and hugged Warren gratefully. His eyes went wide in surprise, but he returned the hug.

"Does that include me?" Raxtus asked as he flew down from the sky. Linda had requested that he fly above them in case his magic interfered with hers, but he had heard everything. He landed on the ground and Linda ran over, putting her hands on his head. They nuzzled noses.

"It most certainly includes you." She said with a smile.

"I was hoping you wouldn't say that, but I guess I'm not as much of a coward as I used to be. Maybe I can do more than eat an evil dragon this time." He said with a spark of hope in his voice.

"I promise that you can do more than that, but I could always find an evil dragon for you to eat if you ever get hungry." Linda teased.

"Sounds delicious." Coulter grumbled, "Can we talk about something more appetizing?"

"Does planning sound appetizing to you?" Linda asked. Coulter nodded.

"That'll do it." He confirmed. Linda started to shuffle her feet along the ground, shaking the white chalk from the grass as she spoke.

"So we know this much already: The protectors are a bunch of low-life, slimy dogs that refuse to see the truth, we don't know the gender or species of our attacker, and we have no idea where the other trees are." She said with a harsh laugh.

"We're on a roll." Warren said.

"An uphill roll on an icy hill." Seth said. Kendra nudged him.

"I know it sounds bad," Grandpa said. "but we have to remain optimistic. All of us have talents, and there has to be something we can do to find the other Lesser Trees."

"I could always talk to Nero or Graulus." Seth suggested. When Grandpa and Grandma looked to him, he sighed, "But you won't let me go alone."

"Someone will accompany you." Grandpa said. Grandma have her husband a look, but he shook his head. Seth's face brightened.

"I want to bring Raxtus or Linda." He said.

"We need them for other things." Grandma said.

"I could go with him." Offered Tanu and Coulter at the same time.

"You both could take him. Linda, did you recognize any of the protectors you summoned?" Grandma said. Linda nodded.

"One or two." She said.

"Good. They may not have supported us now, but they might listen to us if we speak to them alone." Grandpa said, rubbing his chin.

"If I'm going to travel, I may have to go into my dragon form to save time." She said. Seth went wide eyed.

"I don't want to see Nero, I want to go with her." He insisted. Linda laughed and reluctantly declined his offer.

"You'd have to wear a saddle to ride on my back, and there isn't a saddle in existence that could fit me. Sorry." She shrugged. Seth pouted.

"I miss out on the coolest things." He complained.

"You get to talk to a troll and a demon. I can't do that, so it's pretty cool." Linda said. Seth realized that she was right and puffed his chest out.

"Raxtus, would you be willing to go with Linda?" Grandpa asked. Raxtus nodded his shiny head.

"I wouldn't mind." He said.

"The rest of us will find other ways to help." Grandpa said. Linda looked to Raxtus.

"We'll leave tomorrow morning." She said. He nodded. She asked him to lead her to a place where they could easily take off, and they soon left. Everyone but Warren made for the main house, were sleepiness became full on exhaustion. Dinner had been skipped to save time and to keep the progress of the summoning circles rolling. Midnight snacks were made and devoured before everyone wished each other a good night and settled into bed.

Seth was coming out of the bathroom after brushing his teeth when he felt a strange buzzing in his head. He stuck a finger in his ear and rotated his jaw, but the buzzing persisted. It sounded like a bee had lodged itself in his ear drum, and it was annoying enough to make him grind his teeth. Then it stopped.

_I feel your power._

"Who said that?" He asked out loud. No one responded, and he frowned. With his heart beating a little faster, he made it to the attic stairs. He peered up the darkened staircase with paranoia. He figured it might have been Kendra trying to trick him, but had had to admit that it wasn't something his sister would do. In fact, she had stayed in the bedroom when he had gone to the bathroom. Looking behind him, he walked up the stairs. Entering his room, he almost pounced his bed. He threw the covers on and curled up with his head on the pillow. He told himself it was just his imagination, but then the voice came again.

_I have power too, but we need more._

Seth closed his eyes tight, "I don't know who you are, but leave me alone."

Kendra, who lay asleep on her bed, shifted some. She wiped some drool from her cheek before growing still again. Seth opened his eyes at the noise, almost hoping that she had woken up. When he saw that she was still asleep, he closed his eyes again.

_Join me, Seth. Together, we can make this a shadow charmer's world!_


End file.
